


The Shadow Proves The Sunshine

by HoddieMaine, Ninke_A



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adoptive Broganes, Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Childhood Trauma, Classist Overtones, Established Hunk/Pidge, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Lance has special abilities, M/M, Mentions of prior childhood trauma, Minor Character Death, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rated For Violence, Setting typical gang violence, Shadowmancer Lance, Slow Burn, Smut, Unfortunate!Lance, Voltron is a bounty hunting team, aged down Narti, disturbing imagery, mute Narti, unfortunate!Narti, vaguely steampunk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-02-20 14:05:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 131,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13148235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoddieMaine/pseuds/HoddieMaine, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ninke_A/pseuds/Ninke_A
Summary: It was meant to be a kindness, the term unfortunate. It was to remind people that not everyone was blessed with a stable life, but really it was a sham, a word used because the more proper term, outcast, was deemed too cruel. An unfortunate was anyone that did not fit into society neatly. Homeless, sick, criminals, or even simply people that had fallen on hard times, all were considered the same… useless.OR: Voltron is a group of bounty hunters searching for a killer and manage to enlist the help of a man austrocized by society.





	1. Unfortunate Beginnings

It was a cold night; the moon was full - but partly hidden behind wispy clouds. The trees looked stark in the fleeting glimpses of moonlight, casting long shadows on the ground. But, Lance didn’t mind. He’d never needed a lantern to get around in the dark. He was just thankful that Arus City was behind him now. He’d learned a long time ago that the city - any city - was no place for him, an unfortunate.

It was meant to be a kindness, the term unfortunate. It was to remind people that not everyone was blessed with a stable life, but really it was a sham, a word used because the more proper term, outcast, was deemed too cruel. An unfortunate was anyone that did not fit into society neatly. Homeless, sick, criminals, or even simply people that had fallen on hard times, all were considered the same… useless.

Lance shook his head, trying to chase away his dark thoughts. Not everyone felt that way, there were some that tried to help in their own ways. People that offered jobs, oh nothing that ever lasted, and it was all usually physically demanding or degrading work that no one else wished to do… but it was work. The jobs never paid well, not like a real one, but were enough to buy bits of food, or clothing from shelters or Sanctuaries.

Lance didn’t often choose to stay in those places, actually preferring the comfort of the shadows that kept him safe. He’d always been different, even from the other unfortunates. But there was one Sanctuary that he honestly didn’t mind, an old set of caverns run by a man named Coran. If pushed, Lance would admit Coran was unique. He looked after those that stayed with him like they were his own children, often chatting with them, learning their names, or whatever they used for one. Lance liked Coran, despite all his promises to never get attached again.

A lamp light ahead caught his attention. He kept his head down, determined to just slip past the little group that was standing in the middle of the road. Still, he glanced over a couple of times, wondering why a group that were certainly not unfortunates, simply based on their clothes, were so close to Coran’s Sanctuary. Given that the buff looking guy had a gun on his hip, and an extremely fancy looking prosthetic arm, and the shorter one in red was carrying at least three knives that Lance could see, they were probably bounty hunters.

Maybe, it wouldn’t hurt to slow his steps a bit, see exactly what they were doing. If it was important, he could tell Coran about it. He owed the guy that much at least.

….

“Look, all we have to do is find this… Sanctuary, right?” Keith crossed his arms, a scowl on his face. His black boot tapped at the ground, while he looked at his team.

“Actually,” Pidge adjusted her glasses, and frowned at the papers, absently thanking Hunk as he held the lantern a bit higher so she could see better. “We have no idea where exactly the place is, and also no idea how many people could be in there…”

“So we just drag them all in.” Keith stated, unaware of how Shiro was frantically shaking his head or how Hunk seemed to still. “The only people who’d use a place like that have to be criminals.”

There was a heavy silence after that statement, and Keith didn’t understand why Shiro clapped a hand over his face, or why Pidge was groaning. “What?”

“With _such_ open minded and _unbiased_ people like you out there, _hunter_ , I’m surprised there is anyone left to _even_ commit crimes.” The voice came from directly behind Keith. It was low, and cold.

Keith spun, one hand automatically going for his favorite knife when sharp blue eyes stopped him in his tracks. Several steps away, far out of Keith’s range, stood a man. He was dressed in gray from neck to ankles, with none of the bright colors that nearly everyone wore to accent their clothing. He was almost invisible in the surrounding shadows. He had short brown hair, tanned skin and he was very thin. There were some smudges of dirt on his face. Both his arms were crossed over each other, and a scowl on his face. “I-I I mean..”

“Save it. I think I heard your opinion perfectly a moment ago.” He turned and started down the little path that led away from the city. As he turned his long coat flapped with the movement, and it seemed like, for just a moment, that he was less than corporeal.

“Hey! Just wait a second!” Keith reached one hand out, but the man jerked away, out of reach as he hissed at Keith.

“Don’t touch me. You might _catch_ something. Just go away.” The man shoved his hands into the pockets of the long gray coat he wore.

“Keith, just let it go for now.” Shiro shoved his brother aside, and stepped directly in the man’s path. “I apologize for my brother. My name is Shiro, what’s yours?”

The man stopped, in the shadow of a tall pine. He didn’t make any move to go around Shiro, but he didn’t seem like he planned to answer either. He kept his glare, then finally sighed. “Shade.”

“We don’t mean to bother you, but we’re trying to hunt down a dangerous killer, and we were told he frequents a Sanctuary outside of the city.” Shiro smiling winningly. “We don’t meant to cause anyone staying there any trouble, we just want to catch a killer.”

Shade shifted, moving just a bit closer to the base of the tree where the shadows were darker. “I have no control what so ever, over who stays at the Sanctuary. You have to talk to the caretaker. Now, may I go?”

“Do you know where it is? That would make this go faster…”

“Pidge, don’t be rude.”

“Why do you want to get away so badly?”

Shiro groaned as Shade’s head whipped to the side to glare at Keith again.

“Gee, I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I know of your opinion about ‘unfortunates’. Maybe it’s because I don’t like people. Maybe, it’s because I don’t like _you_ , and maybe, just maybe, it’s because I’m tired. Maybe I haven’t had a decent sleep in a while, and the last thing I want to do is deal with close minded people that look down on anyone that isn’t exactly like them.” Shade’s eyes narrowed. “So, fine, if you won’t let me leave, then I’ll do it on my own.”

He glared one last time before Shade slid his right leg out, so that it was firmly resting in the shadow, then for a split second he seemed to waver, like an image in the desert before he vanished completely. Pidge cursed, Hunk jumped, Keith and Shiro stared wide eyed, before exchanging baffled looks

“What? How?” Pidge took a step to the side, letting Keith and Shiro dart forward, standing exactly where Shade had been just a moment ago, both of them looking around.

“There’s nothing here.” Shiro sounded puzzled. “That’s… not possible.”

“Actually… I’ve heard of something like this.”

All eyes turned to Hunk, who had a frown on his usually good natured face. “There was a girl, she used to be friends with my sister. They were both really into gardening and sometimes, when she would come to visit… we’d notice that a plant that was dead or almost there, was perfectly healthy after she touched it. I’m not talking about just wilting a little either. They would go from brown and shriveled to green and healthy.”

“So she was good with plants.”

“No one is that good with plants, Keith.” Shiro sighed. “What happened to her, Hunk?”

“I don’t know. My sister got married and she didn’t visit anymore.”

A frown crossed Shiro’s face as he moved his metal arm, motioning them to start moving again. “We’ll just have to keep an eye out for him then, but we need to focus on our job and this Sanctuary first.”

“Shiro’s right.” Pidge stated as she moved her green goggles a bit farther up on the top of her head. “Thanks to Keith running his mouth, we lost any chance we had of finding it….”

“Hey!”

“...Which puts us right back where we started. With no idea where this place might be.”

“If you will excuse me?”

The small group turned, catching sight of a tall man standing farther down the path. He had bright red hair, almost orange in color, and a bushy mustache to match. His clothes were fine, black pants with a long black jacket that trailed to his knees. His shirt was a deep rich blue. There was a thin silver chain that was hanging from one of his pockets. He held a lantern up, just enough so that his face could be seen clearly. He looked very out of place on the small dusty path. The strangest part was that Shade was a few steps behind him, arms crossed and pointedly looking away from the group.

Shiro took a step forward but the well dressed man started talking again.

“Imagine my surprise, when Shade here,” a gesture to the man standing just behind him. “Comes to me, and tells me a group of hunters are interested in my Sanctuary. Not only that, but they have managed to get remarkably close to it, despite all of my attempts to keep it hidden from those that do not need it.” A hand came up, curling into the moustache. “Therefore, I asked him to bring me to you, which I thank you for, Shade.”

“Forget it, Coran. Just, keep them all far away from me, and we’re even.” Shade glared one last time, before spinning on his heel and walking toward one of the trees, hovering at the base of it, almost invisible in the dark.

“So, what is it that brings hunters to my place?”

“We’re hunting a murderer. We were told by a woman in town…” Shiro paused, looking at Hunk and Pidge.

“She said to call her Nyma.” Pidge offered, thinly. She hadn’t liked that woman anyway.

“That the man we are looking for was staying in a Sanctuary outside of the city. He’s tall, with dark hair and eyes. He made a machine that was left at a festival in Marrtia. That machine, exploded and killed several people. We just want to find him and bring him in. That’s all. We don’t mean any harm to anyone staying…”

“You are aware that most people that reside in the Sanctuary are there because they do not fit into normal society, yes? Having strangers, especially hunters, poking about will disturb them all greatly.”

“But why?” Keith bit out. “I don’t understand why they wouldn’t want a killer caught too.”

Coran frowned, then sighed. “It is not that they do not wish for this man to be caught, but it is hard to take what is said at face value. Simply because someone in a position of power states something, does not make it a certain fact. There is, always another side to things.”

“You mean, like… it is possible that someone else made the machine and this guy was in the wrong place?” Hunk offered, nervously shifting from foot to foot, eyes darting between Coran and Shade.

“Ah, yes, exactly that. I have many that are in my care that have been afoul of those in power. Some that quite possibly are entirely innocent, and some that indeed, might perhaps be guilty. However, my concern is, if I do allow you into my Sanctuary, how do I know that you will not return again, with another bounty, that vaguely resembles someone that is staying there? How do I know…”

“That you won’t just take everyone in because of course, we are all criminals.”

Coran turned to Shade, and tisked at him. “Now, my boy. You know that I will not allow that to happen.”

“Better tell that to the jackass in red then.” Shade scoffed, turning his head away again.

Coran frowned, looking over the little group carefully. The one in red, was staring at Shade. The one in green was frowning, while the large one in yellow was practically dancing his nerves into the dirt. The leader, was the only one that seemed calm. “Shade.”

“Yeah?”

“Kindly collect Allura for me. She can verify if the story these people bring is truth. If it is, then you and I will search the Sanctuary for them. If it is not, then they can be on their way. We will wait here for you to return.”

Shade pushed away from the tree but made no move to actually go anywhere. “It’ll take me a good half an hour to get back here with her, and that’s not counting however long it will take her to get your information.”

Coran nodded, “that will be fine. While you are gone, I will get to know these hunters a bit.”

“Fine.” Shade walked to Coran’s side, then pointedly made a wide circle around the group before he started running back toward the city.

“Now then, may I have your names, please? I do not like to deal with anyone without having a name to call them.”

Shiro took a couple of steps forward, his arm whirling slightly as he extended it. “My name is Shiro. This is Pidge, Hunk and Keith. We’re the Bounty Hunting team known as Voltron. May we have your name?”

“Ah, yes. I am Coran Smythe. While I do understand that you are simply trying to do your job, a job that I respect you all for, I must ask that you respect my choices about the people that have placed themselves under my care.”

“So, what if Hunk and I were the ones to enter? I’m not really interested in social structures, and Hunk is too nice to offend anyone.” Pidge took a couple of steps closer, head tilted slightly.

“I would prefer it if none of you actually entered the Sanctuary, and certainly not until I ensure that the story you have told me is true.” Coran stood firm, mouth turned down, and expression serious. “Which, cannot be done until Shade returns with Allura.”

….

It was the sound of hooves that announced Shade’s return. He had one hand up, holding the lead of a fine chestnut horse, that was drawing a single carriage behind it. The carriage was done in black, with fine gold filigree accents that glinted slightly in the light of the lamps, obviously well crafted. Shade did not say a word as he led the carriage past the hunters without even a glance instead stopping the horse a short distance from Coran, who hurried to open the door.

A dark skinned hand, darker than Shade’s was placed in Corans as a woman carefully stepped out of the carriage. She had white hair, piled elegantly on top of her head, and a blue dress with white accents. Every inch of her screamed regal.

“Uncle.”

“Ah, Allura, my dear.” Coran kissed the back of her hand, before gesturing. “You look lovely.”

“Thank you, Uncle. Now - Shade told me what you needed and I came as quickly as I was able, but in return, you will have to escort me back in time for the dinner meeting with the Mayor.”

“As you like, my dear.” Coran’s smile faded a bit as he turned to address the hunters. Keith was once again scowling at Shade, but Shiro was staring wide eyed at Allura.

Pidge snickered, even going as far as nudging Hunk. It wasn’t often Shiro was caught off guard.

“I understand from Shade that you are looking for the man that caused the horrid disruption at the festival.” Allura turned away from her uncle to face the hunters. “However, the description that Shade gave me of the man in question does not seem to match my reports.”

Pidge glanced at Shiro, then rolled her eyes. “We got our description from a woman named Nyma in town…”

“That explains a lot.” Shade muttered.

“So… who are you, exactly?” Keith asked, eyes narrowed. “How do we know your information is any better than the other woman’s?”

“Oh, did I not explain?” Coran beamed at Allura. “This is Allura Altea, the finest information trader in the city.”

Shiro finally collected himself. “I’ve heard of you… In fact, I think we’ve taken a couple of bounties from your office.”

She laughed, “well that is always good to know. Now, as I was saying, from what I could find, it is indeed a man that you should be looking for, but my reports show that he is blond, and not dark haired.”

Hunk sighed, “that doesn’t really help much.”

Still, Allura smiled at them. “While it is true that there are a great many that have pale colored hair, my reports also indicated that he had a rather large bump on his nose. Possibly from a previous injury that did not heal properly?”

“That son of a…”

All eyes moved to Shade, who was looking almost murderous. He still had a hold of the horse’s lead, but his eyes were down, fixed on the ground. His mouth was pressed together tightly, before his head darted up and he took a step, shoving the lead into Coran’s hand.

“It’s Rolo, Coran. If Nyma was covering for anyone, it has to be Rolo.”

“Who the hell is Rolo?” Keith demanded.

Coran held up a hand. “Go ahead, Shade.”

Shade gave a short, tight nod in reply, before he took off into the woods.

Shiro clapped a hand on Keith’s shoulder to keep him still before repeating the question. “Who is this Rolo?”

“Ah… he is one of the more infrequent of my visitors. He is not terribly well liked, except for a lady named Nyma. I do not recall seeing him lately, and if he is not in the Sanctuary, then I do not know where he would be.”

Allura shook her head. “I do not remember him myself… but then, I do not visit my uncle as much as I should.”

Shiro gripped Keith a little tighter. “I really would prefer it if some of us helped to look for him.”

Coran frowned, then sighed. “I can see your point, but Shade knows the Sanctuary almost better than I do. In addition, if Rolo is not there, then Shade is more likely to be able to see if anyone does know of his location. No one inside will speak to you, or any of your people, I’m afraid.”

“What’s to say he won’t just tell him we are here and let him walk?”

Allura raised her eyebrow, while Coran chuckled at Keith’s accusation. “While I can understand that you do not know Shade - I, on the other hand, do. He’s never let me down before so I have no reason to believe that he would now.” Coran’s hand came up, and again curled at the edge of his moustache. “Besides, Shade and Rolo do not get along. He will do as I ask, despite his personal feelings towards you.”

“You seem pretty confident.”

“Of course I am.” Coran smiled down at Pidge. “You are confident in your team, yes? Because they have earned that from you?” He waited for the cautious nod. “I am the same.”

There was a rustle, before Shade darted back out of the thick foliage and paused, one hand on his thigh and the other wrapped around his middle. He was breathing hard.

“He’s not there, Coran. I checked the entire place. The last person that remembers seeing him was Plaxum, and she’s not sure how long ago that was.”

“When was the last time you saw him?” Shiro asked, finally releasing his hold on Keith.

Surprisingly, Shade answered immediately. “It’s probably been a couple of months. He was here, last time I was, but I’ve been up north for a while.”

“It does no one any good to speculate.” Allura stated quietly. Both of her hands were folded in front of her. “I can, of course, question some of my contacts, but I am afraid that will take some time.”

“So… you really don’t know where he might go?” Hunk asked, hesitantly.

Coran shook his head, but Shade shrugged. “The only place I can think of is some old shack not far from Krell. He threw some party for Nyma there once. Plaxum told me about it afterward.”

“Can you tell us where it is? Or possibly put in a good word with this… Plaxum?”

Coran shook his head. “Plaxum is… talkative, yes, but she is also sadly one of those that I mentioned before, that have had an unpleasant encounters with… those in power.”

“Wait… is she the one that pretends I’m not in the room whenever I visit?”

Both Shade and Coran shook their heads. “No that’s Luxia, my dear. Plaxum is the one always hiding behind her.”

“So why can’t _he_ show us where it is?” Keith muttered, waving a hand at Shade who promptly scowled in return.

Shiro immediately agreed. “That isn’t a bad idea…”

Coran rubbed his his chin, and Shade immediately started shaking his head. “No. No, Coran.”

“Oh come now, Shade. It is for a very good reason. Several people were hurt and some were killed.” Allura smiled winningly.

“No.” Shade turned his glare at Allura, who pouted a little. “No! Stop that!”

Pidge looked from Allura to Shiro, then from Keith to Shade, finally shrugging. “I’m fine with it. He doesn’t bother me any.”

Hunk nodded. “Please?”

“No.”

Finally, Coran nodded. “Shade… I would be very appreciative if you would take these hunters to this place, and then kindly return here, so that I know that everything was handled.”

One hand came up and ran over Shade’s face before he groaned. “Ugh… I just know I’m going to regret this… fine. I’ll take them out to the dumb shack, but then I’m done.”

Coran placed his hand on Shade’s shoulder. “Now, as so many times before, you are one of the most honorable men I’ve known…”

“That doesn’t actually make me feel any better about this… Fine, we’ll leave in the morning, I’m not wandering all the way to Krell in the dark with a bunch of hunters.” Shade slipped away from Coran’s hold.


	2. Making A Splash

Allura had insisted that all of them stay with her for the night, to make it easier for them to all meet up the next morning. Keith was pretty sure that Shade was going to just skip out on them, so he had been unsurprised, when he came down from the very nice room Allura had given him to use, to find Shade nowhere to be found. 

Hunk and Pidge were finishing up what looked to be a full course breakfast, and Keith immediately settled at the table to eat himself. He kept his eyes on his team, making sure they were safe was always his priority. Shiro could handle the whole polite chit-chat. 

Allura smiled, as Shiro entered just after Keith was settled. “Good morning. I do hope you all slept well.”

“I did, thank you again for allowing us to stay.” 

“Mmm, breakfast is amazing.” Pidge mumbled, half leaning on Hunk. “As good as Hunk’s…”

“Well, I thank you for your kind words. There is no rush, but when you are finished, you should probably set out to meet Shade.”

“You mean he actually showed up? Where is he then?” Keith muttered, wincing when Shiro elbowed him in the side. 

Still, Allura kept her smile. “Of course, he has been here since dawn. Since none of you were awake yet, I sent him to deliver some messages for me.” She daintily dabbed at her mouth with a cloth napkin, then set in on the table. “I am aware that… you do not approve of my Uncle’s way of handling things. But… neither you or I are truly able to know exactly how one such as Rolo might think, or behave. Shade, however, actually knows him, he will be your best help in finding him.”

“I suppose…”

“I promise none of us will do anything to offend him.” Shiro stated with a dopey smile for Allura and a warning look at each of his team.

….

Lance was pretty sure that God hated him. Why else would Coran have stuck him with these damned hunters? He knew that Coran trusted him, but he’d never asked Lance to do anything like this. Lance… wasn’t fond of people. He’d been an unfortunate all his life, and people could be beyond cruel. That was the main reason why he’d tucked his own name away, used something else, something that fit. He honestly couldn’t remember the last time someone used his actual name. Lance bit back a sigh as he kept his eyes downward, while the rest of them settled down for the break the short one… Pidge had insisted on. He watched his shadow ripple slightly, like it was laughing at him. It probably was, Slade was an asshole.

“Excuse me, Shade?”

Lance looked up warily. The big guy, Hunk, was just a few feet away. The mouthy one, Keith, if Lance was remembering right, was right behind him, while the other two were digging out what looked like food from their various bags. “Yes?”

“We were… just wondering… if you wanted to eat with us?” Hunk offered a smile, a little small and weak. “We have plenty…”

“No, thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I’m fine.” Lance let his mouth quirk up slightly, and was instantly rewarded with a bigger smile from Hunk, who nodded and shuffled off to the others, leaving just Keith, staring at him. 

Whatever. Lance had way more interesting things to look at than a grumpy close minded asshole. He dropped his eyes back to Slade, watching as his shadow stretched in the late afternoon light. Lance knew that to anyone else, it would look like an average shadow but to Lance, he could see it move a bit, hear it whisper to him in his own voice. Lance had named it, talked to it sometimes, when he was feeling especially alone. He listened to it’s whispers. Lance wasn’t sure if it was good or not, but Slade was probably the greatest friend he had.

“Is Shade your actual name?”

“Is Keith _your_ actual name?” Lance immediately countered, not bothering to raise his eyes up from the ground. He was settled against a large rock, leaning against the warm stone with practiced ease. 

“Yes, of course it is!” Keith snapped. 

“Then, obviously, my name is whatever I say it is.” Lance stated simply. He moved one of his hands from his lap, letting it just touch the ground to meet Slade, absently making pictures with his shadow. 

Lance was actually pretty good at tuning things out. He didn’t care for people, that usually looked down on him because there was no accenting color to brighten his clothes, or turned up their noses when he went looking for work. Lance planned on ignoring these hunters as much as he possibly could, until he took them where they needed to go, and then he was going to say goodbye to Coran and Allura and skip off to Kassis for a while. 

It wasn’t until a second shadow appeared along side his, that Lance froze in his movements. The shadow was still, unlike his which still rippled and moved. It just hung there, the edges of the two shadows blending until it was impossible for anyone other than Lance to tell them apart. 

“Are you sure you won’t eat with us?” The buff guy, no… Shiro’s voice was as smooth and calm as his shadow was. “Hunk is a really good cook, so everything we have is pretty tasty.”

Lance twisted his head, looking up from the ground and letting his eyes pass over Keith who was still standing in the same place, and looking up at Shiro. “No, thank you. I don’t like to eat while I’m working.” 

“Working?” Pidge piped up from her place, curled into Hunk’s side. “But, you aren’t working?”

Lance shook his head. “I am. Coran requested that I show you all where Rolo likes to hide out. To me, that’s a job. He gave me coins so that I could rent a room when we stay in Krell, which is payment for the job. So, I’m working.” 

“So what? You aren’t going to eat the entire time?” Keith asked. “That’s kind of dumb.” 

Abruptly, Lance returned his attention to the ground, a scowl on his face. “Right. Whatever you say, hunter.” 

He could hear Shiro sigh, but Lance was good at ignoring things, so he pretended not to hear Shiro scolding Keith for being rude, Pidge questioning how long it might take them to find this guy, and Hunk occasionally chiming in with his own questions. He really just wanted to get this over with. He figured, since Rolo hadn’t been at the Sanctuary, that he was in that stupid shack in the middle of nowhere again. Lance only knew about it because Plaxum tended to talk a lot, and she didn’t really care who she was talking to. 

By the time the group had finished eating, Lance planned out exactly how long it would take them. They would reach Krell just after dark, sleep for the night, and Lance could have them at that cabin by noon. Then he could leave and everything would be fine. 

.…

Krell was a metalworking town, filled with the clang of hammers on metal, the heat of the many forges and the scent of smoke. It wasn’t a large town, but due to it’s location on a major trading route, it did receive a fair number of visitors. Lance honestly never really liked the town, the people were extremely close knit and suspicious of outsiders, but anything was better than avoiding the probing questions of Keith and Pidge, or the even worse false niceties of Hunk and Shiro. 

Lance paused, eyes darting from place to place. The numerous lamps threw soft shadows over almost everything. They whispered and called to him, urging him to join them, hide in their embrace, to play with them. 

He turned, ignoring Keith’s ever present stare, as he had been all day before he announced. “If we leave at dawn, I can get you to Rolo’s shack by noon.”

“We really do appreciate all your help, Shade.” Shiro stated, a wide smile on his face.

Lance just managed to keep his expression blank as he shrugged. “Thank Coran, he hired me. But, for now, you lot are on your own.” He raised on hand in a half wave, before walking into a nearby hostel. All Lance wanted, was some time to himself, maybe some stew if the place had any, and a quiet spot to lay down in for a while. Thanks to Coran, he had the coins to pay for it. 

.…

“He really doesn’t like us; Does he?” Shiro stated softly, watching Shade vanish inside the worn down building. 

“Well, did you really expect him to? After all, he probably isn’t used to people being decent to him.” Pidge pointedly looked at Keith, then rolled her eyes, when she realized that he wasn’t even paying attention, his eyes still fixed on the door to the hostel. 

“Well… I kind of like him.” Hunk froze as three sets of eyes landed on him. He swallowed, then his expression hardened. “What? I do. Yeah, he’s kind of distant, but he actually listened to me when I was telling you all about what exactly this guy had to have used to make his machine blow up. Besides, like Pidge said, he isn’t used to being treated kindly. Not to mention…” Here, Hunk lowered his voice. “With his ‘talent’ he probably keeps his distance even from the other unfortunates. That’s got to be very lonely.”

Shiro frowned as he crossed his arms, his metal one whirling as it moved. “I hadn’t thought of that. I can kind of understand too…”

“What? How can you understand, Shiro? You’re nothing like him.” Keith grumbled. 

“That’s true… but I can understand staying distant from people… if all they want is to use something that makes you special.” He slowly uncrossed his arms, stretching his metal one out. It truly was a masterful piece of machinery, and Shiro was grateful to Pidge every day that he used it, but there had been many times, that a machinist, or builder had stopped him and plied him with questions about it, begged him to remove it, or let them take it apart. 

Shiro shook his head. “Still, he’s helping us, the least we can do is try and include him. So, let’s all try to get along. No more rude questions, just… treat him like we would anyone else, alright?”

Pidge cleared her throat, while Hunk just smiled before ushering them all down the street, toward a much nicer looking building than Shade had gone in. Keith lingered for a moment, eyes drifting from Shiro back toward the hostel, a thoughtful frown growing on his face. 

….

It had already been a long day and it wasn’t even noon yet. True to his word, Lance had been waiting right at the edge of the town, as the sun rose. The hunters had showed up maybe half an hour later, and since then Lance had been bombarded with questions. 

First it had been Hunk.

“Honestly though. I would rather cook myself. I mean the food at the inns isn’t bad… but like breakfast. It was just… kind of plain you know?”

Lance hummed absently.

“I mean - just a little bit of cinnamon would have made such a difference. Don’t you think so Shade?”

“I don’t know what that is.”

Lance took several more steps before the sudden quiet caused him to turn slightly. Hunk was standing completely still, his mouth open as he stared. “What?”

“You’re… joking right?”

“No. I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.”

Hunk’s expression went from shocked to almost horrified. “But, then.. What do you put on your oatmeal?”

Lance shrugged. “I dunno. Never had it. The Sanctuary only offers a safe place to sleep, and a blanket, nothing more, nothing less. Breakfast is not a meal that I eat.” He turned back around, ducking under a low hanging branch and missing the sad look Hunk had. 

Then it had been Pidge. 

“So Shade… I have a question.” Pidge reached up, adjusting her glasses as she peered up at him. “Why don’t you have any colors on your clothes? I mean… I get that you probably don’t like to stand out much… but why not a band, or a ribbon?”

Lance sighed. “I don’t see any point in it.”

“But why not?”

Lance paused, looking down at his clothes. The shirt was old and patched together in several places, that were fortunately hidden away by the long coat. The coat was nice enough, thick and warm and was easily the most expensive thing Lance had ever owned. He’d worked for an entire two months in the coal mines up north to be able to afford it.

Pidge was still looking up at him expectantly, and Lance could feel the eyes of the other three watching them closely. “Colored fabric is expensive, and I don’t see any point in spending money I don’t have just to have something pretty to look at when this works perfectly well. Besides, what use is color in the dark anyway?”

Lance didn’t bother to wait for a reply, instead shoving his hands into his pockets, and looking around to make sure they were still going the right way. 

Shiro had been next. 

“So what do you like to do for fun, Shade?” 

Lance glanced at the man out of the corner of his eye. “What do you mean?”

“Well, Pidge here - she likes building machines. Hunk likes to cook. I actually enjoy reading. What do you like to do?”

Lance closed his eyes for a moment, and wondered why anyone would ever ask someone like him that kind of a question. When he opened them again, he turned to face Shiro, shrugging. “I have absolutely no idea what it is you think I do out here all day, but, mostly I just try to survive. Fun things…” Lance paused, and offered Shiro a thin smile. “Aren’t really for people like me.”

Shiro winced, but Lance had already turned away. 

Surprisingly, even Keith had asked him something. 

“What kind of work do you do?”

“Whatever I can find.”

Keith frowned. “No… I get that… I meant, what kind of work have you done?” The frown faded and Keith actually looked pleased at the question. 

Well, as far as questions go, it wasn’t exactly a bad one. Lance still didn’t like the guy, but there was no harm in answering him. “I’ve done a lot of things. I’ve delivered messages and packages, I’ve hauled ice blocks, cleaned fish, worked in the drains. I spent a couple of months up north in Lady Zethrid’s coal mines.”

“You did what?”

Lance frowned. “What? Did you think I’ve never worked at all?” 

“No… no. It’s just.. I’ve heard that those coal mines are really unstable, and small.”

Lance shrugged. “So? It doesn’t matter how dangerous a job is. It’s not like anyone would miss me if a tunnel collapsed.” He paused, then nodded. “I don’t think Rolo’s shack is much farther now.” Lance walked away, ignoring the stare he could feel, ignoring the way Slade brushed against his ankles. He wasn’t exactly truthful that no one would miss him. But none of them, especially Keith needed to know that.

….

Shade was absolutely nothing like Keith had expected. He’d grown up hearing about the Unfortunates, whispered insults and sideways glances. He’d seen his fair share hauled off by the authorities to know that these people and their sanctuaries were rife with thugs and miscreants. Or, he thought he knew…

While Shade had been less than enthused about the situation, he was still helping them. As far as Keith could tell, he was a normal guy. He worked hard for what he had, though it be little. He clearly cared for Coran and Allura and was ready to protect his own when strangers turned up on their doorstep. Keith wasn’t sure he liked him, but he could respect him. It was more than could be said for a lot of people, and Keith was starting to believe he had judged Shade and his people too harshly.

He thought back to all the times he had avoided an Unfortunate as a child. He wondered how many of them were like Shade and not the harrowing picture that had been painted for him. Shit. He was going to have to apologize to Shade.

Keith hitched his bag a little higher and chewed the inside of his cheek. He had fallen prey to a bigotry he hadn’t realized existed, and that was not the man he was. The least he could do was apologize to Shade. He chanced a look at the mysterious man leading their group. Keith steeled himself. He’d pull Shade aside when he got the chance.

….

Rolo’s shack was far from any roads or paths, and they did have to backtrack a couple of times, because Lance really only knew the general area and not an exact location, but when it finally came into view, Lance wasn’t relieved. If anything, the sight of it only made his already frayed nerves worse. 

All four walls were still standing but half of the roof had collapsed and there were high weeds and vines growing up the sides. It looked just like any other abandoned house would, but what bothered Lance was the silence. There was a stillness about the place that made him want to back away. 

Shiro cleared his throat and nodded at his team. “I think the best thing we can do is split up. Shade, I know you were just supposed to bring us here, but would you mind helping us look around a little? It will go much faster in teams.”

That did make sense, and Coran had asked Lance to tell him how everything ended up. So despite his nerves, he shrugged. “Yeah, sure.” 

“Thank you. Hunk, Pidge, you two go that way, keep clear of the building until we know that everything is clear out here. Keith, you and Shade go that way, and I’m going to backtrack a little to make sure he doesn’t try to slip past us. Then we can all meet back here and go check out the house.” 

Lance absently trailed behind Keith, eyes darting around. Something still didn’t seem right. It was a decent spot. The river was close, and the trees were kind of sparse. But Slade was whispering warnings in his ear, and Lance had learned long ago to listen to those. 

“Something… isn’t right.” Lance mumbled, ignoring the odd look Keith gave him. He took another step, the river behind him as he faced the shack. 

“What do you…” Keith paused, one hand tucked behind him, resting on a knife, as he turned to look over the area again. “I think… you might be right…”

For just a second, the two of them stared at each other before there was a change in the air. Between one blink and the next, the shack exploded in a shower of wood, fire and smoke. The blast knocked both Keith and Lance off their feet, propelling them backwards into the river.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thank you to everyone continuing to read! Your comments and kudos mean the world to us! We already have chapter three ready and on deck to be posted next week, so I hope you're looking forward to it ^.^
> 
> As always, come talk to us on tumblr! [Linds](collector-of-hats.tumblr.com) and [Holly](joinmeinthishell.tumblr.com). We're just a couple of nerds who are always down to talk about our wily space children lol
> 
> <3Holly
> 
> I just want everyone to know that we would not be able to write ANYTHING without the third of our little trio, the Astonishing Jess!! She not only edits, and encourages, she has the best reactions to things! Please to see [Her Tumblr](https://quiiiznak.tumblr.com/) too!
> 
> :) Linds


	3. beLIEve me

_ Shit, shit, shit! _ Lance was going to kill Rolo if he ever saw that slimy bastard again. That stupid asshole, with his bent nose and ugly face was dead if Lance ever caught him. It was all because of him that he was sitting here, in the middle of the woods, completely drenched with one equally drenched hunter that Lance could not stand. He sneezed, then sighed. 

“Are you… alright?” 

Lance’s eyes snapped up from his dripping jacket to stare at Keith. He wanted to be angry at the guy, he really did, but this one was all on Rolo. 

“I’m fine. You alright?”

“Just wet I think.” He shoved his sopping hair out of his eyes, and looked around. The two of them were on the side of the river, probably several miles from where they had been.

Lance sighed, a long exhale before he stood up, nodded decisively and shoved his hands into his coat, ignoring the squelching sound. “Well, for what it’s worth, I hope you guys find Rolo and kick his teeth in.”

Keith scrambled to his feet, eyes fixed on Shade. “Wait… you’re leaving?”

“Yeah, I’m going to go tell Coran how it went. Let him know to ban Rolo if he tries to come back.” 

Keith scowled but honestly, Lance was just so done with this whole mess. Chasing down Rolo, spending his time with people that were fake-kind so that they could get what they needed. If Lance wanted that, he’d spend time in the cities. Not to mention spending who knows how long caught in the river’s currents.

“Wait.”

“What?” Lance half turned, noting Keith’s scowl. Wonderful. He was probably going to blame it all on Lance. This was the same guy that thought all unfortunates were criminals, after all.

“I…” Keith paused, then looked up, scowl gone, but his mouth was still turned down slightly. “I want to hire you.”

“You want to what?” Lance shook his head several times, sure that he had to have been hearing things. 

“I want to hire you.” Keith stated firmly.

“I decline.” Lance turned and started walking again, but Keith took several quick steps before stopping in front of him. 

“No, I’m serious. I want to hire you, Shade.” Keith stared directly at him, something that normally Lance hated. His hands were at his sides, still dripping with water. 

He couldn’t stop his feet from shifting a bit, and he could feel his shadow curl tighter around his ankles. Lance stood there for just a moment before he started to shake his head. “I can’t think of any reason why  _ you  _ would want to hire  _ me _ .” 

Shit. Keith fumbled for only a second as he watched the water bead off of Shade’s hair. “There’s a case that we could use your help on…” What was he doing? There was no case! Keith hoped Shade didn’t immediately see right through the obvious lie. He just knew he needed to keep Shade nearby… as an intel gathering technique obviously.

Lance blinked, before a frown settled on his face. “You want my help with a case? You? How many jobs are you all even on?” He turned his head frowning at a tree before sighing. “What kind of help?”

“Uh, two?” He cleared his throat, pushing his wet bangs out of his eyes. “Two. The main one… this one… and an ongoing search… for a kid that was stolen. His family is being blackmailed and I uh, thought with your… connections and abilities… maybe you could help us?” Keith steadied himself. He was not much for lying, but well, it hadn’t all been a lie. Shade ran in a totally different circle from them, he knew people and locations they could never, and Keith was burning with curiosity over his unique abilities. Keith wanted, no needed, to observe Shade, spend time with him. It would be valuable. To the party. To their cases and clients. Obviously.

Lance’s frown deepened, turning more into a scowl. His hands curled in the pockets of his jacket. Lance had never been able to understand why people like him were considered unfortunates but others could use kids in such a way and still be considered normal. Lance sighed. There was absolutely no chance that he could tell Keith no. Not when he could still remember his uncle leading his brother away, telling his parents it was for the best… see him leaning over their bodies with that bloody knife in his hands.

“What are you offering?” Lance shook his head to clear it.

Keith balked. He hadn’t really planned this far ahead. “Uh… how about what you made in the mines? This work is just as dangerous, though you probably gathered that from being blown into a river. Since you’ll be travelling with us, you’ll be bunking with us so you won’t have to spend your wages on room and board when we stop in cities, however, we split supplies, food, those kinds of things. Reasonable?”

Lance sighed. “Right, so a shilling a day. May as well keep it for the supplies then.” He pulled one hand out of his pocket and waved it around a bit. “Fine. But, I still have to go back to Coran and tell him how things are going. He hired me first, and that was part of the job.”

Keith froze from where he had started to cut a path back through the woods. “A shilling a day?! Wait - no, no - a shilling a day,” Keith repeated shocked. 

Lance shrugged. “Yeah, they pay well up there, I know, but to be fair, they also included broth for dinner. So, you can cut it in half if it’s too much.” He took a couple of steps then turned around. “Do you guys have some kind of meeting place set up if this happens? Or are they going to just wait for you at the clearing?”

Keith was struggling to catch up to the words coming from Shade’s mouth. How could anyone survive on a shilling a day? He shook his head, a frown beginning to pull at his lips. “You know what -- we’ll just start you at what I started at… and, uh-” Keith looked back and forth through the woods surrounding them. “They’ll probably meet us back in Krell, but, it’s going to be getting dark soon, we should make camp.”

“If you say so. If I have my bearings right… I think we’re a good several miles from where we were…” Lance shrugged again. “I’ll get wood then so you can dry off.” He shook his head several times, but started off anyway. If he was going to work with them to find this kid, then he should probably get used to the guy.

Keith nodded in acknowledgement, before he pulled off his bag and started rummaging for things they’d need. Hunk and Shiro tended to carry most of the food supplies since it was heavy, but Keith managed to find some just shy of stale bread and an apple. He set them aside and began to untie the pieces he carried for one of the tents they always kept with them. Pidge had the other, and Keith hoped his friends wouldn’t need to share it tonight, he couldn’t imagine putting Hunk and Shiro in the same tent, let alone with poor Pidge trying to squeeze herself in as well. Keith could help but laugh to himself as he made camp.

Lance came back with an armful of wood, which he dumped on the ground before he casually pulled a leaf off a tree and started chewing on it. He kept his eyes on the wood, finally getting it arranged properly, before he tossed his chewed leaf and exchanged it for a new one. Lance pulled a thin rock out of one of his pockets and a larger, flat rock out of another before he bent back to the wood. It took several tries, but eventually, the spark caught, and he stood, tucking the rocks away again. Finally he looked up at Keith. “There, now you can dry off.” He plucked a third leaf off a tree before he settled on the ground a short distance away. Close enough to feel a bit of the warmth, but far enough that he was out of Keith’s way.

Keith could only watch wide eyed for a moment. The fire was warm, casting shadows that danced across Shade’s face. “Here,” Keith finally grunted, tearing off a sizeable portion of the piece of bread, as well as a couple of the chunks of apple he had already cut up. He stretched out his arms, hands laden with food, but Shade was just out of reach, so Keith found himself shifting closer.

Lance blinked at the offering. He honestly hadn’t been expecting that and it took him a full minute of staring to slowly reach out and take the food. “Oh… thanks.” He pulled the leaf out of his mouth before slowly taking a small bite of the bread. Quietly, he suggested. “You know… if you soak it in a little bit of water… it fills you up more…”

Keith froze, halfway to a bite of apple. His head snapped back towards Shade and an unfamiliar heaviness filled his chest. He hated that Shade knew that first hand, that he probably hadn’t felt full for most of his life. Keith tore his eyes away from him and began reaching into his bag. He pulled out his canteen and tossed it to Shade. “Have as much as you want.” It wasn’t much, but he was determined to do what he could for Shade. He’d want someone to do the same for him if he was in Shade’s place.

Lance’s hand shot up to catch the canteen and he looked at it oddly before, hesitantly pouring just a bit on the bread before tossing it back. “Thanks… but… I honestly meant it more as a tip… you know, if you find yourself in a similar situation.” His voice was quiet, and he took another bite of the bread. 

Keith nodded, leaving the canteen on the ground between them. They continued to eat in silence for awhile. Keith finished his apple and licked the stickiness from his finger tips before standing and making his way towards the small tent.

Lance ate his food in small bites. He kept his attention mostly on the fire and the shadows that it threw around their little camp. He figured that if he waited a little longer, he could go out and get a bit more wood before he scaled a tree to try and sleep for a while. Occasionally, he flicked his eyes toward Keith, wary but unwilling to break the awkward hesitant truce they seemed to have. When Keith made his way toward the little tent, Lance stood as well. “I’ll get some more wood then.”

“Actually, these things stay surprisingly warm. I think we’ll be alright,” Keith said as he unlaced his boots and stooped to walk into the tent.

Lance blinked, looked down at his still wet clothes, blinked again, and actually squinted at the tent. “Uh… Yeah… that’s not necessary.” Nope. No chance, is Lance sharing a tent with anyone. Truce or not, not going to happen.

Keith peeked his head back out the tent opening, frowning. “Where else are you gonna sleep,” he asked petulantly. 

Lance pointed up with one hand. “Uh… the same place I always do?” He was really confused. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Keith’s frown morphed to complete confusion in a matter of seconds. “What? What does that even mean?” He peered up at the sky as if personally affronted. 

“Wait… wait a minute.” He shifted just a step or two and scanned the trees for a moment. “See that one there? It’s a great tree to sleep in. It’s got sturdy branches so I wouldn’t fall off, but it’s too tall for anything to climb without waking me up. So, why wouldn’t I sleep there?”

Keith looked at Shade as if he’d grown another head. He just sat there staring while he tried to wrap his head around that answer. “Alright…. But… you don’t have to?...” Maybe Shade was still mad at him for the things he had said earlier. He wouldn’t blame him. Maybe sleeping uncomfortably in a tree was more desirable than having to spend any more time with him. Keith frowned once again. “I guess do what you want…. But there’s room in here for two…” He fought the warmth in his cheeks as he ducked back into the tent and flopped face down on one of the pallets he had set up for them. He wouldn’t push Shade.

Lance honestly, had no idea what had just happened. He stood there for a minute, staring at the tent before he actually looked toward the ground and flat out asked his shadow a question. “What just happened?” He scowled when all it did was ripple in amusement. Oh yeah, it was an asshole. He sighed. “I do not get people.” 

Ah well, it would not be the first or the last night he spent sleeping in a tree, and at least this way, maybe Keith wouldn’t have to suffer his presence for too long. 

….

Lance was a very early riser, well, it was more accurate to say that he wasn’t much of a sleeper. But, he was awake very early. It hadn’t been a bad rest, but he felt like he needed to do something to repay Keith for the food he’d shared. So, Lance was going to find some. 

Keith rolled onto his back, the warm sun slipping through the edges of the tent. He rubbed at his face, huffing a sigh as he sat up. He had spent the first near hour laying awake wondering if Shade was going to sleep in the tent or not. Berating himself for not having apologized yet. When he finally had fallen asleep, every snap of a twig or groan of a branch had him shooting up in bed hoping he wouldn’t hear the thud of a sleeping body fall from above. The dark of the tent and the heaviness of sleeplessness begged him to stay in bed, but it was already growing warmer and he and Shade needed to get going.

When he pushed back the flap of the tent, he squinted against the morning light. Keith set to putting on his boots, still in a daze. He spotted Shade a little ways off, down close to the river. When his boots were laced, Keith stood, stretching. His canteen was sitting next to where their fire had been, and Keith picked it up. He realized as he brought it up to his lips that it was full. He blinked, took a swig and set it back down. There in a small pile he noticed a handful of bright berries. His brow furrowed as he picked them up.

He gazed back out to where Shade was, popping one of the berries into his mouth. He smiled to himself and headed over to join the other man. “Thank you,” he croaked out when he was close enough for Shade to hear him.

Lance turned, running a wet hand through his hair a couple of times, before shrugging. “Least I could do. You shared with me.” He caught up his coat from where he had laid it out to dry a little and shrugged it on. He really wasn’t exactly sure what to say, so he shoved his hands into his coat, waiting a little awkwardly.

“Yeah…” Keith shifted, blinking up into the bright sky. “Uh, Shade… I’m sorry for what I said before… it was ignorant and uncalled for and… I’m very sorry.”

Lance blinked, caught off guard by the sudden apology. “I… am not entirely sure what to say. I’m pretty sure no one has ever apologized to me for that before.” While it was nice to hear, Lance still wasn’t about to just tell the guy all his stories. But… “So, how about we start again? I’m Shade.”

Keith was taken aback only for a moment before he had to try and bite back a smile. “Keith. It’s nice to meet you.” He laughed then. If he hadn’t been such an idiot on the first day, things might have been this easy.

The corner of Lance’s mouth quirked up a bit. “Same to you. So, what do you say, we team up, and beat your friends back to town? Then, you can lord it over their heads for a while.”

A wicked grin took over Keith’s face. “They don’t stand a chance.”

….

Krell was just as boisterous as always as Keith and Lance made their way through town. Keith still felt flush from the ridiculous pace he and Shade had set. They had made it in record time though and Keith was fully prepared to boast once his team finally showed up, that was until he spotted Shiro speaking animatedly with a shopkeeper as they rounded a corner. 

“So much for beating them,” he mused, nudging Shade and pointing to where Pidge and Hunk were coming out of the shop to join Shiro.

Shade actually smirked. “They cheated of course… I’d like to see them make it back here from where we were faster.” He paused then waved a hand at them. “Better go let them know you’re alive.”

Keith nodded, gave Shade a smile and jogged the short distance to the shop. Keith was relieved that they were safe and in one piece, he knew his team was tough and strong, but it didn’t exactly stop him from worrying when they got split up. He was just opening his mouth to say something, when strong arms wrapped around him and he was practically being lifted into the air.

“Oh my god, I was so worried about you,” Hunk blabbered as he crushed Keith to him.

Keith laughed and patted Hunk’s arm. “I’m glad to see you guys all in one piece.”

Shiro added a steady hand on Keith’s back. “When we realized you had been blown into the river, it was too late to try tracking you, the current was too strong and…” Shiro took a deep breath. “I’m glad you’re alright. You are, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Shade and I - ” Keith looked back over his shoulder and waved him over. “We ended up pretty far down stream, had to camp for the night… He’s going to be sticking with us for a while… to help with the case.” Keith said it with finality, looking straight at Shiro to let him know it was happening whether or not he disapproved. 

“Well, it is nice to know you aren’t dead.” Pidge stated, looking sly. “But… hey!” 

Hunk, had caught her by the arm and dragged her over the couple to steps to Shade, who actually took a step back. “I’m really glad you are alright too…”

“Uh… thanks?”

Hunk started in explaining how they had spent most of the afternoon looking for them, while Pidge, who finally shrugged, kept correcting him and scowling.

Keith grinned at the three chatting, but turned back to Shiro. He lowered his voice. “I think we should keep him around. We could use someone like him.” Keith caught himself staring at Shade’s slowly softening expression, and he shook himself out of it. “I mean, someone with his skillset. He has connections we could never have, and not to mention his ability.”

Shiro gave him a look that Keith really didn’t want to read into right now. “I think you’re right. Besides, he seems like a good guy.” Shiro shrugged. “If he’s willing to help, I think it’s a good idea. We could use the help.”

Keith nodded. “I, uh… offered him money.” Keith pointedly looked away at the shock on Shiro’s face. “It can come out of my cut, I’m not worried about it.”

“Why?...”

“What do you mean, why? We all get paid, he should too.”

“That’s not what --  _ of course _ he should get paid. Why are you taking it out of your cut? How much did he ask for?”

“He didn’t… I offered. Look, Shiro, he was making a shilling a day in the mines.” Shiro balked but Keith continued, ignoring the reaction. “He sleeps in trees and he was eating leaves,” Keith said exasperated. “I just… he deserves a living wage, and if that means paying him a beginner’s salary while he works with us, then I’m willing to pay it.” Keith finished in a huff, attempting to tamp down his embarrassment, until he felt Shiro’s hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sure we can work something out.” He smiled and patted Keith’s shoulder.

“Why is your coat wet?’ Hunk demanded, one hand curled in the shoulder of Shade’s coat. He kept patting and tugging no matter how much Shade wiggled to get loose. 

“Why are you… hey stop that!”

Pidge tisked. “Unfortunately for you, worried Hunk is in effect. He’s not going to let it go.”

“Stop it…” Shade wiggled free and darted several steps away. Hunk chasing after him. Shade kept dodging away from Hunk while Pidge started snickering. 

“Seriously, you need to stop that. I’m fine! So it’s a little wet. That happens when you swim in the river completely dressed.” Shade shifted, then pointed at Keith. “He got just as wet!”

Hunk turned and eyed Keith. “Are your clothes still wet too?”

Keith went from smiling to scowling so fast it hurt. “I’m fine, Hunk. Shade built a fire last night and it took care of most of it.”

Hunk scowled. “Most of it, huh? No, you two are coming back to our inn and drying off completely.” 

Pidge was beyond snickers and into full out laughter at this point, doubled over, holding her arms around her stomach. “I bet they didn’t eat either.” She offered. 

Shade took another step backward. “Uh… no… no that’s a bad idea.”

“It’s probably not a bad idea, Shade,” Keith said, trying to pull Hunk back a bit. “The last thing we need is for anyone on the team to get sick.” Keith was ready to get out of his damp and disgusting clothes, and the idea of calling it an early night after getting some food, had him yawning already.

Shade shook his head again. “That’s not what I meant. I mean…” He straightened a bit, rolling his shoulders back and shrugging. “I mean, me going to wherever you are staying is a bad idea. I can stay at the same place I did last time.”

Keith frowned. “I said you’d stay with us. You shouldn’t spend your money when you can room with us.”

“I agree with Keith, Shade. There’s more than enough room with us.”

“I need to make sure you both eat, too.” Hunk lurched and caught the edge of Shade’s coat, tugging him along. 

Unwilling, Shade kept protesting before finally looking toward Pidge. “You know they are just going to throw me out, right?”

“Oh, I’m aware, but this is hilarious, so suck it up and go on.” 

Shade kept protesting all the way up until they were walking inside the inn before he abruptly went eerily silent. His shoulders immediately hunched and he kept his eyes on the floor.

The innkeeper, a portly looking man smiled at the group as they entered. “Oh, welcome back…” His smile vanished as he caught sight of Shade. “What are  _ you _ doing here? We don’t serve  _ your _ kind! Get out before I call the police!”

Shade jerked his coat out of Hunk’s now lax grip and bolted out of the inn.

Keith tried to call after Shade, but it was too late. He turned his fury on the innkeeper. “He was with us,” he grit out.

The man tisked. “Well, I’m sorry but it’s the policy here. We don’t allow that kind of… miscreant in our establishment.”

Keith slammed his fists down on the counter. “He isn’t a miscreant! He’s just… he’s just - ” Keith stepped back from the counter. He felt his stomach drop at the thought that he had been just like this man just a matter of days ago. Every muscle in his body felt tight, but he didn’t know what to say. Shade wasn’t a miscreant, he wasn’t a criminal. He was… Shade. Strange and helpful and funny when he wasn’t trying so hard to keep his distance. Keith turned and walked back out of the inn.

Shade, was standing just outside the same hostel, he had used before, digging around in various pockets, mumbling to himself. “Let’s see… that’s three from here… and two left over from Coran….”

Keith waltzed past him and into the hostel, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Shade had seen him. He walked straight up to the attendant at the counter and placed several coins down on the surface. “For two, please.”

Shade had blinked as Keith casually brushed past him, curiosity moving him into the hostel, before he stared in shock.

The attendant, this time a very bored looking girl, rolled her eyes. “Two rooms or two beds?”

“Uhhh…” 

“What are you doing?” Shade hissed. “You already have a room.”

Keith waved a hand in dismissal. “I’m not staying there anymore.” Keith squinted at the information in the book in front of him. 

“What? Why not? That doesn’t make sense!” Shade rubbed a hand down his face. “Your whole team is there.”

“That’s not true.” Keith kept his eyes trained on the various prices and room types and hoped Shade couldn’t see the red on the tips of his ears.

Shade opened his mouth but the attendant beat him to it. 

“Two beds it is then.” She dropped a key on the table then pointed at the rickety stairs. “Second door on the right. We don’t offer breakfast. Dinner is cabbage stew and it’s in an hour.” She turned and wandered away. 

“What the hell…” Shade paused then started up again. “What are you doing?”

Keith snagged the key and turned for the stairs. “What does it look like? I’m going to the room to get out of these clothes for awhile, bathe, and maybe rest for a little bit before dinner. What are you doing?”

Shade blinked. “Currently, I’m wondering if I lost my mind, because there is no other explanation for why you would give up a perfectly fine room, to stay here.” He kept pace with Keith, because it was much easier to figure out what was going on if he could actually hear him talk. 

Keith sighed as he stopped in front of their door. “That guy was… I wasn’t going to let you… It just didn’t seem right for you to have to be separated from the rest of the group,” Keith finally settled on. He unlocked the door and opened it.

“What?” Shade’s shoulders fell and he sighed. “Listen… That’s nice of you, it really is, but I knew that was going to happen. I’m helping you all sure, but that doesn’t mean anyone else is going to care. They are going to act exactly how they would if I was alone. You don’t have to stay here, just so I’m not alone. I’m used to it.” He shrugged at the end. 

“Yeah, well you don’t have to be,” Keith murmured. “That’s not how a team works…”

“I… have no idea how to answer that… Fine, but I can promise, you will regret it when dinner rolls around.” He slipped into the room, dropping on the bed with absolutely no grace, and just lying there, fully dressed. 

Keith shrugged, pulling off his outer layers and draping them wherever he could. “I’m gonna see about taking a bath and a nap, in that order.”

Shade absently hummed then turned his head to face Keith. “You are aware that hot water is not a thing here, right? It’s either cold or frigid.” He looked a little uncomfortable before he turned to stare at the ceiling again. 

Keith had to fight back belated embarrassment. He was so used to sharing a room with Shiro, he hadn’t given a second thought to removing his damp clothes. He cleared his throat, turning back to his bag. “I’ll be fine, Shade. Can’t be any worse than the river or shipyard.”

Shade’s head again turned toward Keith, a questioning look on his face. “Yeah… probably not…” He shifted, sitting up and peeling his coat off, spreading it out over a good chunk of the bed before laying back down. 

Keith gathered up his cleaner clothes, double checking to make sure they had dried properly by the fire the night before. “I’ll be back,” he said as he ducked out the door.

Lance sighed as he made himself comfortable. He still wasn’t entirely sure about this whole thing. He had no idea what Keith had even been thinking, leaving his nice room for this place. He got the general idea, that he was being included, and that was nice and all, but it still didn’t make sense. There were a hundred other ways for them to include Lance without Keith having to stay here with him. Well.. Maybe Lance wasn’t the only one trying to keep their odd truce. 

Still, he crossed his arms behind his head, eyes fixed on the ceiling. He lost several minutes puzzling over the hunters and their odd determination to make sure Lance was included, then he lost several more wondering exactly what a shipyard had to do with Keith. Still, if anyone knew when not ask questions about something, it was Lance. He’d keep his head down and his mouth shut. Besides, as long as his coat was dry by tomorrow, maybe he could avoid any more possible awkward situations with normal people. 

Keith returned several minutes later, hair damp and clinging to his neck and face as he tried to bite back the chills running through him. He tossed his dirty clothes to the floor, and flopped unceremoniously onto the bed left unclaimed. He pulled one side of the top blanket and rolled until he was completely tangled in it. He burrowed in further until just the top of his head could be seen. The events of the last couple days were catching up with him. He snorted thinking about the neverending joke between him and Shiro that they were getting old.

Lance half turned his head, and couldn’t help but snicker at the sight of Keith all rolled up in the blanket. “Cold?”

Keith grunted, not bothering to pull his head out. His voice came muffled through the fabric. “I won’t be soon... “

Lance snickered again. “Sure… sure. Whatever you say.” He stood, and casually dumped his blanket on top of Keith’s head, before stretching. “Well, you have fun with that.” He had no intention of leaving the room at all, so he settled back down to check and see how dry his coat was.

“Mmm, thanks,” Keith mumbled before promptly falling asleep, soft snores gently heard from inside his cocoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, y'all didn't even have to wait a whole week this time. Spoiled lol
> 
> Thank you so much for all the kind comments we've received, they really do make my day. As always, feel free to hit us up on tumblr, and thank you for continuing to read!
> 
> <3 Holly


	4. Give and Take

When Lance woke up, he was only slightly surprised to see the roll of blankets in the exact same place it had been when he’d finally fallen asleep. Lance shook his head, before shrugging into his now dry coat, and eyeing the blankets. Reasonably, they should probably go and meet with Keith’s team, but Lance wasn’t exactly experienced in waking people up. He considered for several minutes, before he sighed, and carefully reached over to poke the blanket. “Um… Keith?”

Keith didn’t stir. His breathing remained deep and even, the blankets rising and falling in time.

Lance ran a hand over his face and sighed. He had two choices really, and either way, it was probably going to make Keith angry so… He shifted, ducked just a little, and shoved the whole pile of blankets and person onto the floor before jerking immediately backward toward the door. 

“ _ Fuck _ !” The roll of blankets thrashed as Keith attempted to free himself. Grunting and cursing filled the room, and when Keith finally managed to get himself loose, he came out breathing hard, hair standing on end and brandishing a knife.

By that point, Lance was literally in the hallway, peeking just inside the room with wide wary eyes. He kept his eyes fixed on Keith’s knife. 

Keith spun in a quick circle, eyes peeled for an assailant. There was no one in the room with him, and he immediately panicked over the absence of Shade, Until he spotted the cracked door and watching eyes. “You!” Keith pointed his knife at him.

Lance flinched. He honestly considered for a second just disappearing, saying screw it and taking off. In the end, he winced, but didn’t take his eyes off the knife. “Yeah… me. Sorry.”

Keith clutched at his chest, letting his arm fall to his side. “You’re the worst,” Keith breathed as he sat on the foot of the bed, letting his eyes close for a second. “You’re lucky I’m tired, or I’d kill you,” he deadpanned.

Lance sighed. “So I’ve been told… I am sorry, but I did call your name and poke you first. But,” He shrugged, “if you still feel like killing me later, you can. I just, didn’t want your team to think I’d killed you, when they couldn’t find you.”

Keith laughed, standing up and haphazardly shoving his belongings back into his bag. “They aren’t going to think you killed me. If you were going to try, you’d have done so in the woods…” Keith cleared his throat and looked a little sheepish. “Sorry, I’m not usually such a hard sleeper when I’m on a job.”

Still wary, Lance slowly inched back into the room. “If you say so… I do feel bad about it though… but I haven't woken anyone else up since I was five, so…” He shrugged again. 

Keith nodded, thinking that over. “Find us a place to grab some breakfast, and I’ll consider us good.”

“I think there is a bakery a couple of doors down you can eat at?” Lance asked. “Um… I don’t actually eat breakfast so… Um…”

Keith shot him a look. “Well, you are today. Let’s go, it’s on me.” He slung his bag onto his shoulder and walked through the door.

Lance stared, mouth slightly open as Keith walked past him. “What?” He ended up chasing Keith all the way outside before he paused again. “Why? I literally just shoved you on the floor, you threatened me with a knife and now you want to eat?”

“Yeah, I’m hungry…” Keith looked at him like he’d lost his mind.

“I’m so confused. What does that have to do with me?” 

“Look, Shiro and Pidge have done way worse to me. I still watch their backs, right?”

Lance nodded. “I assume so, yes… but that’s your team. It’s different… right?”

Keith stopped and spun towards Shade. “You’re working with us, that makes you part of the team, so no, it isn’t. I won’t say it again,” Keith huffed. “Now where the hell is this bakery?”

Lance silently pointed to a little building just across the street. “There? It… um… smells good?”

Keith nodded and grabbed the lapel of Shade’s coat and pulled him along behind him. “Perfect.”

Lance flinched at the sudden grabbing of his coat, but followed along. The bakery wasn’t as bad as some of the places around. All they cared about was if you paid, so hopefully there wouldn’t be any yelling this time… But he hoped to god that Keith didn’t ask him what he wanted because Lance wasn’t sure how much more confused he could get today.

Keith peered through the glass case at the variety of goods on display. He straightened back up and looked at Shade. “What do you usually get here?”

Lance sucked in his lower lip. “You probably won’t like my answer…. But I get those.” He pointed to a small plate on one of the counters that had bread leftover from the day before. 

Keith stared at the plate for a moment. He looked at the woman behind the case. “We’ll have two of those fresh buns you just brought out… and… two of those fruity…. Yeah those. And… do you like chocolate?” Keith turned to Shade.

That question received a flat look. “I have no idea.” Lance shifted uncomfortable. 

Keith turned back to the woman. “And three of the little chocolate ones.” 

“I guess you weren’t kidding about being hungry…” Lance muttered, trying to ease his coat out of Keith’s grip. 

Keith swapped the money in his hand for the bag the baker handed him. He walked with Shade back out the front of the shop, sitting on the edge of the stoop and pulling out one of the fresh buns and handing it out to Shade. “Gotta eat these while they’re still warm,” he said, digging for the second one with his other hand.

Lance took a minute, to hold the warm bun in his hands before he shook his head a little. Very softly, he offered a “Thank you.” before he hesitantly took a very small bite. He hadn’t eaten food in the morning for years now so it was strange to actually do so. 

Keith practically inhaled his bun, swallowing the last bite as he pulled free one of the fruit covered danishes. He tucked into it while he watched Shade eat. “Chocolate or fruit next?”

Lance’s head snapped up, half of the bun still in his hands. “Uh… this is enough. Honest.”

“That’s not what I asked,” Keith teased.

Uh huh, that didn’t exactly make any sense, but Lance shrugged. “Um… I know, but, this is really more than enough….” Finally he frowned. “I don’t eat this much ever, so I don’t know…”

Keith huffed a sigh. “Fine, then one of the chocolate ones, they’re small anyway.” He dug one of the bite sized chocolate pastries from the bag and handed it to Shade. “I’ll leave you alone if you don’t want any more, but… the rest of these are yours anyway, so…” Keith popped one of the chocolate balls into his mouth and rolled the bag up, setting it next to Shade. He wiggled the pastry still in his hand.

Lance stared, first at the partially eaten roll, then at the little chocolate one that was in his other hand, before his eyes shifted to the bag. His mouth opened and closed several times before he slowly took a bite of the chocolate pastry. Abruptly his eyes grew wide. “Holy shit…” He immediately ate the rest of it. “That’s… amazing…”

Keith laughed. “Good thing you have a second one then.”

“Yeah, I guess so… But… um -- Thanks, for sharing with me…” Lance tucked the rest of his bun into the little bag, toying with it a bit. “I know… I haven’t really helped much, but I’ll make up for it. I’ll pay you back, alright?” He actually smiled after. 

The easy smile that had found its way to Keith’s face fell. “I don’t expect to be paid back… Consider it a welcoming to the team…”

Oh… oh! That made sense. Lance’s face perked up and he smiled a little wider. “Sure. Thank you.” He stood, and carefully tucked the little bag into an inside pocket of his coat before, he paused, then abruptly held out his hand to Keith. “Then, let’s go, yeah?”

Keith looked at the outstretched hand and then back to Shade’s face. He gripped the offered hand and pulled himself up. “Y - yeah, let’s go.”

Lance nodded, and he made a point to pat Keith on the shoulder, just once before he turned, to see if he could remember where the inn the others used was, exactly. 

….

The day was already proving to be a warm and sunny one, and Keith was grateful for the shade of the inn as they approached it. Pidge and Hunk were sitting on the ground, backs leaned against the side of the building, swapping bits of something between them as Shiro stood nearby. When he saw Keith and Shade approaching, he waved them over. As they got closer it became obvious that Pidge and Hunk were debating whatever it was they were looking at.

Pidge peered up at Shade, then shoved a handful of slightly charred bits of paper at him. She ignored his flinch and kept her hands extended. “So, we found these, in the remains of that cabin. Hunk and I were up all night trying to figure out what they say. But, it’s all gibberish. Hunk said to have you look them over. No offense, but if we can’t figure it out I dunno how you can, but, you can’t say no to that pouting face.” Despite her cool words there was a soft smile on her face. 

Hesitantly, Lance took the bits of paper, trying to ignore, Keith hovering at his shoulder, or Hunk beaming at him just a couple of steps away. He wasn’t used to people standing so close to him, or smiling at him. He focused on the couple of shapes and marks that were eligible before flipping from paper to paper. 

“Well… You have to understand, unfortunates are an untrusting bunch. It takes a lot for us to let someone in, usually because we’ve been burned too many times before.” He frowned a little at his own wording. “So, when we do, we still tend to cover our tracks in little ways…” He swallowed, keeping his eyes on his own hands. “Like… using code to write our messages to each other…”

Shiro spoke up then, “so you do know what it says.”

Lance shrugged. “Mmm hmm. It’s not just one note… it looks like two or three all mixed together…” He shifted a bit away from Keith’s hovering, before looking through the bits of paper again. “So, from what I understand, most of these are from one note…” He shuffled those into one hand and held up the remaining three. “These, I don’t know, sorry. But these look like Rolo is meeting someone in Kassis. That’s an unfortunate town a couple of days north of here.” He slowly, and hesitantly offered the notes back to Pidge. 

“So, we go there.” Shiro announced, tightening his grip on his bag. 

“I… don’t think that’s a good idea…”

Pidge looked up from the notes, and Hunk frowned. “Why?”

“I’d be the only one that could go in. It doesn’t make sense for you all to walk that whole way and not even be able to go in and look around.”

“Why can’t we go in?” Keith asked, frowning. 

“Because it’s an unfortunate town. The only ones there are people like me. They won’t talk to you, and the ones manning the guard towers won’t let you in.” Lance explained, stating his words like facts. He looked up at a set of confused faces. “It’s like a giant sanctuary, you see? It’s a safe place for them. Even if you did manage to convince the guards to let you in, no one would talk to you.”

Shiro smiled, a calculating look on his face. “We’ll think of something.”

Lance had a feeling he wasn’t going to like whatever it was they decided on, but, he’d agreed to help. He just prayed in the end they listened to him and let him go into Kassis alone. He had a couple of important things to do there himself. People to see, and arrangements to make. “Fine, but I’m standing by my statement. Either way, I need to let Coran know what’s going on, so I’ll be back in a while.” Lance shoved his hands into his pockets, and determinedly walked away. There were some things, he just couldn’t share.

….

When Lance wandered back into the market a few minutes later, everyone was still in the exact same spot. He froze a little bit away, before he shoved his hands into his pockets and straightened his shoulders. It had been a very weird morning for him already, what with Keith basically demanding he eat, and then Pidge and Hunk actually looking interested in what he was saying. Shiro announcing that they were all going to Kassis was just yet another thing Lance didn’t understand. Why would they all want to walk for two days to reach a town, none of them could even go in?

He ended up a few steps away, and took a breath before he offered a hesitant, “Hi.”

“Shade,” Shiro called, gesturing for him to come over. “You won’t be getting your first pay for about another week, so just stick with one of us and we’ll get you all set up.”

_ Ah well, fuck.  _ Lance used every trick he knew to keep his face as blank as possible. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t actually need anything.” He paused, and found himself staring at Pidge. “What?”

“Are you just saying that, or do you actually mean it?”

“I… mean it. I really don’t need anything.”

Keith sighed. “You need food and you need a pack.” He was already turning to scope out the marketplace. “We all help carry supplies, and if you aren’t eating, you’ll be weaker than if you were.” Keith looked back over at Shade, daring him to argue the logic.

Lance blinked, then narrowed his own eyes. “While I can and do see your point on the pack, because it would make it easier to carry your supplies… I have food.  _ You _ gave it to me, remember? That’s like -- A week’s worth of food!”

Keith spun on his heel. “No, Shade, that was breakfast.” He took a deep breath. “Look, we’re going to be doing a lot of walking, we’ll be in the elements, you never know what we might run into, and you can’t just be wandering around starving to death.” Admittedly he hadn’t kept his cool. He tried again. “We can’t let you when it isn’t necessary.”

Pidge was standing there, with her head moving back and forth, looking roughly two seconds away from laughing, while Hunk was doing the exact same thing but with a much more anxious expression. Shiro had a hand over his face. 

“I see…” Lance nodded. “I am not going to tell you what to do with your money, that’s rude and not my place.” His tone was low. “But, I’m pretty sure, you have no idea what it actually feels like to starve to death. You might, I don’t know. But, I can guarantee that I know just as well as you do about surviving the elements and that just wandering around isn’t something I do.” 

Keith’s eyes never left Shade’s face. He searched his eyes for the right thing to say. Shade didn’t have a monopoly on suffering, they all had pasts they didn’t want to talk about, but Keith wasn’t going to argue in the street about things long passed. His childhood and Shade’s whole life didn’t not need to be measured for the whole town to see. “Let’s go find you a pack,” Keith said quietly, turning and walking into the sea of people, not bothering to see if anyone was following him.

Pidge let out a long sigh. “Shiro, go make Keith less mopey. Hunk and I will go get food with Shade. We’ll meet you later.” 

…..

Keith was circling a small display outside of a shop when Shiro found him. Shiro stood and waited, watching Keith pick up an array of packs and bags only to discard each in turn. He finally huffed a sigh and leaned against the small rack.

“You alright,” Shiro asked. He knew Keith well enough to not push too hard to soon. Keith would open up if he wanted to. 

“He’s just being contrary,” Keith finally bit out. “Why can’t he just be reasonable?”

Shiro chuckled. “Sounds like someone else I know.” He raised an eyebrow at Keith who in turn scowled and returned to the task at hand. “It seems Shade just isn’t used to having this kind of life. You weren’t so different when you joined me…”

“I was a child, Shiro. Not just acting like one.”

“That’s not very fair to Shade… Maybe you’re just coming on a little strong.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Keith glared over the rack.

“It means,” Shiro drawled. “Shade is adjusting, and the more you throw at him and expect him to just go with it, the more he’s going to resist.”

Shiro waited silently, watching as Keith picked out a bag he deemed appropriate, but more importantly he watched the gears in Keith’s head turn as he took in what he’d said. Keith took the rather plain but sturdy pack inside the shop and paid for it. He tested the straps one more time and nodded to himself. He thrust the bag into Shiro’s chest.

“Take that to him.” Keith squinted as they walked back out into the street. “He needs a weapon too. Probably not anything crazy, but we don’t know the extent of his abilities and he should have something just in case.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’ll meet back up with you in awhile,” Keith said as he disappeared into the crowd.

Shiro sighed heavily, glancing towards the heavens. He shook his head and went to find the rest of his team.

….

Pidge led Hunk and a silent Shade around for a bit before pausing at a stand that sold food. She glanced at Hunk, who shrugged, then at Shade who was staring away, eyes fixed on a sign for a metalworker’s shop. 

Pidge wasn’t kind like Hunk, or gentle like Shiro. Pidge was blunt like Keith, but unlike him, she didn’t lose her focus by getting angry. “So.” She crossed her arms, and stared up at Shade. “I get that this is weird for you. But, getting defensive doesn’t actually help anything.” 

Shade shook his head. “Neither does insisting that someone else knows better than I do about what I actually need.” 

“That’s true.” Pidge nudged her glasses up her nose slightly. “But, what is the harm in humoring him? You agreed to getting a pack easily enough.” 

“That actually makes sense. If everyone helps carry things, then that is something that I will need currently. Getting used to eating regularly, then going back to not eating is only going to cause me problems in the end.” Shade stated, hands shoved into his coat. 

“But, food is good right? You do like eating, don’t you?” Hunk asked. 

“Of course.” Finally Shade sighed. “I know that I’m not as smart as you two are. I’m sure that I’m not as strong as Keith or Shiro. But, I do know that this is only temporary. All Keith asked me to do was to help out with one case. That’s it. After that, you all go hunt more criminals and I go back to surviving the only way I know how to.” He paused, then shook his head. “I can’t… let myself get used to this. Do you understand?” 

Hunk opened his mouth but Pidge put a hand on his arm and shook her head. “Yes, I do. Alright then. We won’t push you, but, Hunk and I would appreciate it, if you explained that to Keith. Exactly the way you did to us. Alright?” 

That… was fair. He could do that. “Alright.” He may as well get it over with. “I’ll even go do it now, alright?”

Hunk still looked worried, but Pidge nodded. Shade nodded once and turned back into the crowd. 

.....

Lance skirted the edge of another group of people. It was almost instinct by now, knowing just how to shift to make sure he didn’t brush against anyone. Lance was determined to do exactly what he had agreed to do for Pidge. If he took too long, he knew he would just overthink it and end up causing an even bigger mess. Why had he ever thought this was a good idea?   


After almost half an hour, Lance was starting to get antsy. The mess of people and their not exactly subtle looks of disgust were not exactly helping. He kept shifting a little bit farther away with each pass of the market.    


Keith could still feel the heaviness on his shoulders as he thanked a shopkeeper and shoved his purchase into his pack, despite there not really being enough room. He had gotten his space, had his moment to fume, but he probably needed to rejoin the others. They were on a schedule, and as much as he wished he could just swing by the pub and call it a day, he was on a job, and that meant brushing off his frustrations and disappointments and focusing. He tightened his pack straps a bit as he reoriented himself in the marketplace. His eyes landed a very tense Shade, passing by a small family. Keith panicked for a second when he didn’t see Hunk and Pidge or even Shiro with him. He couldn’t fight the scowl as he headed towards the man dodging through the crowd.   


Lance ducked around another little group, mouth pressed closed tightly, as he heard another string of muttered insults. He was just about to give it up, when he finally spotted a furious looking Keith stomping his way. For a second he froze, and ended up almost tripping over himself to avoid another man, when he finally straightened, he was standing right in front of Keith, who was still scowling.    


Lance didn’t even let himself think before he was off. “So, I absolutely get that you don’t really care but I owe you an apology, I’m sorry I was rude and snappish with you earlier, I know, you are just trying to help me out and that’s nice, but I also know that this working together thing isn’t going to last forever, I mean - you only hired me to help you find that kid, and eventually, you either will find him or it will be painfully obvious that I’m not actually able to help and we will all go back to how things were before we ever met, and if I let myself get used to living like you do, I will have a lot of problems going back to how I live now, do you understand, I mean like I said, I get that you’re angry and you should be, but I am sorry, and…” He finally paused, then looked absolutely horrified, actually slapping a hand over his mouth and taking a step back, ready to bolt.    


Keith’s eyes were huge, and he tamped down the mild guilt swirling in his gut at the mention of the fake mission. His hand shot out, desperately wanting to grab hold of Shade’s wrist, and just not let him go until he was properly taken care of, but he remembered what Shiro had said and instead left his hand hanging between them in an offer to shake hands. “I- I’m sorry too, and I’m not mad. I just… we’re a team, for however long that continues to be true, and that means we’re equals. You should have what we have. But, I promise to stop mothering you, because I know how irritating it is when Shiro does it, if you promise to let us treat you like part of the team. Deal?”   


Lance flinched then Keith’s hand shot out, and he stared at it, in much the same way he had Keith’s knife earlier that morning. “I… I’m trying… I just…” Finally he sighed. “Yeah, sure...” He ended up with both hands half raised in a shrug. “Deal.” He still hesitated but did finally shake Keith’s hand.    


Keith felt some of the tension ease from his shoulders, and even let himself smile a bit. “So… where is everybody else then?”   


“Oh, I left Hunk and Pidge…  _ Whoa _ !” Lance cut himself off as someone knocked into him from behind, jolting him forward and right at Keith.    


Keith just barely managed to keep himself righted, arms full of Shade. Keith’s forehead knocked into Shade’s chin, and when he looked up to yell at whoever had knocked into him, he realized how close they were. He felt too warm and he knew his cheeks must be red. He coughed, the insult to the clumsy person in the crowd dead on his tongue as he hurried to step back a bit.   


Lance cursed as his chin hit Keith’s forehead and he groaned, rubbing a hand over it. He froze completely when he realised how close they were and jerked back the same time Keith did. How the fuck was this his life?  “Shit… I’m sorry. Uh… are you alright?”   


“Fine. I’m fine.” Keith scratched at the back of his head, looking off into the crowd. “You?”   


“I’ll be feeling a lot better once we are out of town.” Lance shifted, eyes darting from person to person. “I um… You know what, forget it. Let just find the others.”   


Keith nodded and led the way through the marketplace, back towards where he had left them earlier. It didn’t take too long before he spotted Shiro and Hunk towering over the people around them. He knew Pidge was probably close by and he pushed through the throngs of people to get to them.   


Lance had to admit, it was a lot easier to get through the mess of people with Keith shoving them all out of the way first. They ended up just outside of a weapons shop, and Lance immediately, shifted to lean against the building. He still couldn’t believe that he had just blurted all that out. He ducked his head a bit, ignoring Pidge’s stare.    


Shiro patted Keith as he approached, but side stepped him, walking towards Shade. He held out a brand new pack made of heavy canvas. Shiro smiled, glancing once at Keith. “Keith made sure to get you a pack.”   


Lance bit his lip but took the pack without a word.    


“Shiro,” Keith hissed. Shiro laughed clapping both Keith and Shade on the shoulder as he headed for the weapons shop. “Come on, Shade, we need to arm you.” Keith tried to pretend like he wasn’t bright red.   


The inside of the little shop was packed with various weapons. There was a case filled with guns taking up one entire wall, while another was full of mismatched bladed ones with long handles. Knives and daggers lined the wall behind the counter, and there was a table near a window full of gears, cogs, springs and other bits and pieces.    


Lance didn’t exactly feel comfortable surrounded by so many dangerous things. He knew how to keep himself safe, but, he did it the same way any other unfortunate did, with his hands, his feet and any and every dirty trick he could think of. In the rare cases that didn’t work, then he used his shadows to help.    


He ended up hovering near the door, and watching Pidge drag Hunk toward the little table of parts, while Shiro and Keith wandered around.    


Keith, as always, went straight to the knife display. Shiro shook his head fondly before turning to give Shade an appraising eye. “What’s your poison?”   


Lance turned his head and deadpanned. “Nightshade.” He then raised both hands up, palms at Shiro.    


Shiro laughed full bellied, the answer catching him off guard. “Alright, alright. Well, let’s try and figure out what suits you…” He looked around the store. When his eyes settled on something against the far wall, he had to bite back a smile. He herded Shade over to the display and promptly filled his arms with one very large and heavy weapon. Shiro couldn’t help the laughter bubbling up at his obvious joke.   


Lance blinked, staring at the awkward weapon he was holding. He looked from it back to Shiro. “What the hell even is this?”   


“It’s a lance,” Shiro laughed. “It’s a jok-”   


Almost immediately, he started to chuckle, then he was leaning over, hands still curled around the handle of the weapon laughing. Oh, that was almost too good. He couldn’t help but keep laughing, even though he could almost feel everyone staring at him. Lance was holding a lance. He opened his mouth to say something, anything but all that came out were more giggles, loud and cheerful.    


Shiro looked dumbfounded for a second, glancing to the others. “I’m really not that funny…”   


Keith couldn’t stop staring. He narrowly avoided slicing off his own finger with the knife he was looking at. Shiro was his best friend, and Keith knew how terrible his jokes tended to be, but if they made Shade laugh like this, he’d tolerate Shiro’s jokes for the rest of his life, as long as Shade kept laughing.   


Finally, Lance handed the weapon back to Shiro and wiped at his face. “That was great. I think I needed that. Thanks, Shiro.” He was still grinning, and even patted Shiro’s arm twice, before he finally straightened back up.    


“Uhh… yeah, no problem,” Shiro answered, brows furrowed in confusion.    


Shiro had Shade try a few different weapons, but none of them really seemed quite right, and in the end, the team decided he could probably hold off on getting a weapon for the time being. Shiro said they could always let him get in some practice with each of their preferred weapons until he knew what he wanted.    


“Here.” Keith handed him a small pocket knife as the left the store. “It’s one of my old ones, I have a bunch. You know… just in case… cutting rope, an apple, first aid stuff…” Keith shrugged.   


Lance took a minute, turning the little knife over a couple of times. It wasn’t heavy, and he could easily keep it tucked away in one of his coat pockets. “Thanks… Are you sure though? I don’t want you to need it and not have it.”   


Keith chuckled, not quite looking at Shade. “Shiro gives me a hard time about how many knives I have as it is. You’re actually doing me a favor.”   


Lance nodded and tucked the little knife away before he leaned slightly toward Keith, pointing at Shiro. “He’s a lot like a father, isn’t he?”   


Keith laughed. When Shiro turned their way, he quickly turned it into a cough, turning slightly away. “Yeah. He is. We better get your pack ready if you don’t want him hovering.”   


“That… sounds like a good idea… I’m not really good with hovering. So… I guess… just dump whatever you want me to carry in it. All my stuff is in my pockets, so…” He shrugged.    


“No, you gotta know where everything is, and there needs to be a rhyme and reason to it or you’ll be digging everything out everytime you need one thing.” Keith set his own pack down on the ground and gestured for Shade to do the same. “So -- change of clothes usually go at the bottom. You aren’t changing randomly through the day, and the times you do, you’ll have already needed most of the stuff on top anyway. Then you have your sleep stuff.” Keith pulled the set he’d bought him from his bag and shoved it down into Shade’s. “Keep it rolled tight when you pack it,” he said looking over at Shade.   


Lance was chewing on his bottom lip. “Alright… that makes sense…” He poked at the blanket, before looking back at Keith. “What next then, because, I won’t have any extra clothes until I can get back to Coran’s sanctuary.”    


“We’ll get you some as soon as we can… so, then, I usually have the tent pieces next, but I think you’re going to be helping carry food supplies, so you’ll have cooking stuff or I don’t know, whatever Hunk gives you. Then any personal food supplies, your canteen… There’s some pockets for things…”   


“Uh, sure… So, I should just… go let Hunk load this up then?” The pack was still mostly empty, just the sleep items that Keith had shoved in there. Lance figured Hunk could still fit all kinds of things in there. He was trying not to cause another fight, but most of the things Keith kept listing off, Lance didn’t have, or didn’t have a use for.    


“Y - yeah, sounds good…” Keith craned his neck to see Hunk. “Hunk! Make sure he gets loaded up with food, and get him a canteen!”   


“Sure! No problem!” Hunk’s grin was wide and cheerful as he moved over and started piling all sorts of things in Lance’s bag. Each thing came with an explanation of what he planned to use it for, and Lance found himself nodding absently, not really following.    


“So…” He spoke up during a pause. “What are you all going to do while I’m in Kassis?”   


“What? What do you mean?” Keith straightened back up, looping his pack onto his back.   


Lance dropped back to crouch on his heels, watching Hunk pack the things away. “Well, you can’t go in, so what are you going to do? Just.. wait?” He tilted his head, before he started absently patting down his various pockets. “It’ll probably take me a full day to figure out what Rolo’s doing…”   


“Well, it’s not like we were ever planning on letting you go alone, and besides, it’s not like anyone’s really going to know we’re not unfortunates, right,” Keith asked.   


One hand came up and covered Lance’s face for a minute. “No offense, but it is kind of obvious.” He pointed at Pidge. “Her clothes are nice, with bright colors, goggles, glasses.” His hand shifted and moved to Shiro. “Arm, gun, boots.” He switched hands without missing a beat, pointing at Hunk this time. “Brightest colors of the group, soft face, and again no offense, tends to mention things no unfortunate would ever know about.” His hand moved then to Keith. “Knives, boots, belt. Again, brightly colored shirt. They will know, just like how anyone can look at me and tell.”    


Hunk added a couple of apples into one of the pockets of Shade’s pack, glancing at Keith when he did so before he spoke up. “But, your coat is just as nice as Shiro’s. If you got a new shirt, you wouldn’t look like one anymore either.”    


Lance held up one hand and tilted it from side to side. “Eh.. not exactly.” He picked up the bottom of the coat near the zipper. “See, here? How the zipper is loose? It’s not made as well as Shiro’s. I’ve had to patch it a couple of times too, which you can see if you’re paying attention. It’s nicer than my shirt and pants, true, but it’s still not the same quality that you all wear.”    


Pidge had shifted closer, eyeing first Shade’s clothes then Shiro’s. “I can see what you mean, but you have to look really close to tell. Who looks that closely?”   


“Unfortunates do.” Lance tilted his head up, before pointing at her goggles. “Those have special lenses in them to make things look bigger, right?” His mouth quirked up a bit at her dumbfounded look.    


Shiro cleared his throat. “But, why? Why do you pay attention to such tiny details?”   


Lance tucked his bottom lip into his mouth, chewing on it for a minute while he thought about his answer. He wasn’t exactly comfortable sharing all these things, and he had a feeling that telling them that sometimes the only thing that kept you alive were those little details probably would not go over well. He settled for a half truth. “Details matter, because they can tell you a lot about a person.”    


Keith nodded. What Shade was saying made sense. It wasn’t like they didn’t use similar tells in their line of work. He was reminded once again that their knowledge and experience with unfortunates was miniscule. He had used his ability to judge a person at a quick glance to survive and thrive since childhood, how was this any different? He didn’t like the idea of Shade going in without backup, but he knew anyone of them could easily give them away. “Shade is right, but we should get going before it gets too late in the day.”   


“Keith’s right, we can cross that bridge when we get to it,” Shiro said as he swung his pack over his shoulder.   



	5. The Road to Kassis

Lance found himself relaxing a bit as they made their way to Kassis. Since it wasn’t considered a real town, and wasn’t on any map, Lance was again showing them the way. But, it was easier to let his mouth curve up into a small smile for Hunk when he shared a joke. He found that they addressed him more often, included him in their conversations. 

When they camped, Keith had glared at him when he’d settled a little bit away, then planted himself close by. When Hunk asked what they wanted him to make, Lance stayed out of the discussion, but did slowly eat most of what Hunk handed him. Shiro, like Keith before him, had offered to let Lance share the tent with him and Keith, then stood there frowning as not only Lance, but Pidge and Hunk had laughed at him. In the end, even Shiro had to admit that there wasn’t enough space in their tents for three. As a concession, Lance had scaled his chosen tree with ease, and settled on the branches, before pointedly flapping out the blanket Keith had given him and draping it around him. Shiro and Keith had still frowned up at him, but then Pidge started theorizing the perks and drawbacks of sleeping in a tree versus the ground, and actually came up two points in Shade’s favor. 

When the team was finally up, Lance already had his things packed, and promptly skipped off to go ‘scouting’. Dawn and dusk were the perfect times for him to get some practice in with his shadows. He ran through the trees surrounding the camp, jumping from shadow to shadow, letting his own run freely, while Lance stayed still in the shade of a large rock. He even spent some time, letting them wrap around his arm, laughing a bit as they tugged at him. 

When he returned, he had a wide smile on his face, and even greeted the team with a cheerful hello. He was still a little wary, but he was honestly feeling pretty good about this whole thing. They were still asking him questions, but if Lance hesitated to answer, or looked away, they dropped them easily. He did end up spending most of the second day listening to Hunk, who kept explaining the differences between various explosives and why some where better than others. Lance didn’t actually think he’d ever use the information, but it was interesting. 

It wasn’t until they were an hour away from Kassis that Lance stopped, one hand curled around the strap of his pack, and frowning at the road. He considered, shook his head, thought a bit more then shook his head again. 

“So… we should all probably stop here. They watch the roads pretty closely, and seeing a group but only one person approach won’t look very good.” He continued to frown as he studied the road. 

“What’s our plan here?” Keith lifted his canteen to his lips, taking a swig before manhandling Shade around to free his own canteen from his pack and shove it into his hands.

“I don’t like the idea of you going in alone, Shade,” Shiro said, eyeing the path ahead of them. “This is your area of expertise, so we’re willing to follow your lead here, but I don’t send anyone in alone if I can help it.”

Lance had rolled his eyes and frowned at Keith but his head snapped to face Shiro. “I understand that but…” He paused, blinked a couple of times before an outright mischievous look crossed his face. He took a step back, away from the little group, then finally took a drink from the canteen in his hands. “I could maybe…  _ maybe _ get one of you in with me… but, whoever goes, probably won’t like it much. So, you all sort that out, and let me look and see if I can pull it off.” 

He dropped his pack, set the canteen inside it and started digging around in his pockets. 

Pidge looked interested. “I mean, I don’t mind going… but you probably shouldn’t Shiro.”

Shiro looked confused. “I don’t see why not.”

Pidge sighed, long and drawn out. “Shade told us before, your arm… remember? Unless you feel like going without it, and you know what a pain it is to get on and off…”

Shiro looked just shy of a pout, but he sighed heavily and begrudgingly nodded his head. “That’s fair enough… Then… with what he said about everyone, our best options are either you or Keith, right?”

Pidge nodded, and absently raised one hand to her glasses. “But, if I go without these, I’m not sure that is really any better than just letting Shade go alone. I can, of course. Unless, Keith really wants to go?” She smirked over at him. 

“I’ll go,” Keith said quickly. “It only makes sense, right?” He turned towards Shade. “So, tell me what I need to do.”

Shade raised his head, and stared at Keith for a long minute, before he nodded. “First, drop your pack, any money you may have in your pockets, oh and leave all your knives but one. You… do have another shirt right?”

Keith had already set his bag down and fished out the spare change from his pockets, but he balked at Shade’s request to leave almost all of his weapons behind. “I hate only having one knife,” he grumbled to himself as he removed several knives from all over his person. When he finished he stood straight and looked at Shade. “My spare is the one I had on when we fell in the river, but it looks exactly the same as this one…”

Lance nodded. “Alright, so, the only way to get one of you in despite your nice clothes… is to make them less nice.” He stared right at Keith. “I’ll have to ruin it.”

Keith froze. “A-alright…” This was for the mission. If this is what it took to make sure Shade had backup, then he’d do it. Shirts were replaceable after all.

Lance held out his hand. “Let me have it and I’ll take care of that. Oh, better leave your jacket. I don’t want to ruin that, it’s too nice. Next, Hunk, I need you to wrap this around one of Keith’s arms, not neatly, messily, please.” He tossed a roll of bandages at Hunk. The bandages had spots from dirt, but they did look like they’d been washed.

Keith stiffly removed his jacket and then his shirt. He held the shirt out to Shade, refusing to make eye contact. It was chilly, and he fought for the urge to wrap his arms around himself while he waited for Hunk to wrap him up.

Pidge, who had admittedly done a fairly good job of keeping a straight face, promptly burst into laughter. She had both hands on her knees as she snickered. 

Hunk, patted Keith on the shoulder before fumbling with the bandages, wrapping them around his arm loosely, and not in his usual neat way. 

Lance, took the little knife Keith had given him, and made several tears in the shirt, before frowning at it, and pulling out some black thread and starting to patch it. The thread was obvious against the bright red of the shirt. If he happened to glance at Keith out of the corner of his eye, well that was for him to know and no one else.

Keith grimaced as he watched Shade shred his shirt. He focused on Hunk’s warm hands as they circled his arm. He glanced to where Pidge was still cackling, Shiro biting back a laugh himself as they watched his obvious discomfort. “Fuck you guys.”

Once he was done, Lance tossed the shirt back at Keith. “Not the best disguise, but it should work. I left one sleeve torn, so you could roll it up for the bandages to show. The last thing…” He shrugged. “We can do on the way. But…” Lance bit his lip. “I need to ask for a couple of things….”

Hunk stepped back, turning away from Keith to hide his own smile before he asked. “Like what?”

“Well… Keith should probably eat before we go. Food isn’t exactly plentiful. If you’d give me some of the stale bread, that would help… If Pidge can spare some of her broken cogs and gears…” Lance paused, looking hesitant. “Um… and the torn bit from Shiro’s sleeve… maybe that leather strap of Keith’s…” He straightened then, “if not, that’s fine. I can get by without it.”

Keith’s brow furrowed but he dug out the small leather strap that had come off his pack ages ago. He’d meant to fix it, but had taken to fiddling with it as they walked. He smoothed his thumb over the soft spot he had worn down over several months. He shrugged and handed it over to Shade.

Shiro was already giving up the bit of his sleeve. “Is all this for making Keith look like an unfortunate?”

Lance shook his head. “No, this is for trade.” He smiled lightly at Hunk, as he tucked the bits of bread into a pocket, and the leather strap and cloth into another. “We don’t use money as trade. We use other things. One person might have an extra bit of food, and will trade that for a shirt, or maybe for some water.” He shrugged. “Money isn’t something we have much of, so we came up with something else.” He quietly thanked Pidge for the parts. “I’m going to trade all this, for information on Rolo.”

Keith couldn’t imagine anyone having any use for their junk. It was all things they had so easily given up. “And people will actually give you information for all this… stuff?”

“Is there a system of what is more valuable? Is food better than clothes? Are my cogs enough? I have some wires too…” Pidge shoved herself a little closer, asking her questions with barely a pause between them. 

“Oh, yes. See, food is pretty important, but then so are clothes. No one wants to use a potato sack. It’s itchy and extremely uncomfortable, believe me, I know. This is enough to figure out what he was doing in town and where he went after. I don’t want to take too many of your things.. But, I have to use my trump card to get Keith and me a room at the hostel, so I had to ask for something. Sorry about that.” Lance pulled one side of his coat open, tucking the gears and cogs into a pocket that already looked very full. 

Keith didn’t like the way that sounded. He wished he could just pay for their room like he had in Krell. The ever growing  _ unknown _ of this excursion was beginning to make him anxious. “Let’s just get this show on the road.”

Lance nodded. “Right. Guess we will see you tomorrow then.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, and started off. 

Lance led Keith through the thin trees until there was no chance of the team being able to see them before he stopped again. “So… um…”

“...Yeah?” Keith glanced over at Shade and came to a stop with him. “Everything alright?” They hadn’t been gone five minutes and Keith was worried he’d already broken the façade, because while he had seen Shade open up bit by bit as the miles passed, he was still fairly distant. He wasn’t exactly expecting to chat the entire way to Kassis.

Lance nodded. “Oh, yes… I mean. To be honest, we’re both a little too clean, and we should probably roll around in the dirt a few times, but I thought, Pidge was already having enough fun at your expense and you might prefer to do that, away from them…. and… I’m sorry, about your shirt.” He turned his head away to stare at a tree.

Keith laughed. “I appreciate that. And, it’s just a shirt, the mission is what’s important.” Keith looked Shade up and down, and then he looked down at himself. “… So… just… roll around?...” Keith looked at Shade skeptically.

“Well… no. This will work better.” Lance dropped to the ground, running his hands through the dirt several times, before he stood back up and motioned Keith a bit closer. “Come here, and I’ll just… smear a bit on your face. No sense ruining the rest of your clothes too.”

Keith’s face heated up and his eyes grew comically large. He swallowed and hesitantly stepped forward, hands in tight fists by his side. 

Lance slowly raised one hand, pausing briefly, before he ran his fingers over Keith’s cheek, leaving a dark smear of dirt, then he made a swipe across his forehead. He frowned, then carded his fingers through Keith’s hair, before he nodded, abruptly pulling his hands away. He ducked his head, to hide his red face, and started running his hands through the dirt again so he could mark up himself. 

All Keith could do was stand, stock still, and watch Shade wide eyed as his brain tried to form a coherent thought. He cleared his throat a couple times as Shade smeared dirt across his own skin and all Keith could think was that it didn’t make it seem to glow any less. “So… uh… we’re good?”

Lance ran both his hands through his own hair several times, then nodded. “I think so. There are some things I should tell you, not to do while we’re there, but it’s all really simple things. Like for instance, don’t touch anyone. Touching means you trust that person. I’m going to tell everyone you’ve been at the mines, and got hurt, that’s why they haven’t seen you before…”

“That makes sense.” Keith committed the fake backstory to memory, adjusting his posture minutely. His team often had to appear to be something other than what they were. Keith was only marginally better than Hunk at it, but nowhere near Shiro and Pidge’s ability. “What else?”

“I think… I’m going to call you Red.” Lance stated. “Names are.. Interchangeable. They don’t actually mean anything. Hardly anyone uses their real one, so no one will even blink if I call you that. But, if I used your actual name, again, that’s a big sign of trust you see? You wouldn’t just give it to me. I’d have to earn it.”

Keith’s steps faltered a bit as he listened. He looked over at Shade as they walked and couldn’t help but remember one of their first conversations. He mulled over Shade’s words for a moment, trying to put pieces together that he wasn’t even sure belonged together. “Did… did someone give you Shade, like you’re giving me Red, or did you pick it for yourself?”

Lance paused, before he slowly turned to look at Keith. “I… I picked it. While, it’s pretty common for one of us to.. How do I put this…” His face screwed up in concentration. “It’s kind of like a mentor. Someone that will show you around, teach you how things work. While that happens, and often, not everyone gets that. Some, have to learn on their own.”

“Shade… suits you.” Keith didn’t want to overstep, they had a tenuous partnership as it was, and he didn’t want to ruin what they had finally worked towards. “And… I guess it’s a good thing I have you then…”

Lance chuckled. “Well, I’m glad you think so. I’ve had it a long time. Remember, how I told you, I hadn’t woken anyone else up since I was five? Same basic time frame.” He offered a small smile. 

Keith returned the smile though his chest twinged for Shade. He looked ahead, taking a deep breath as the walked in silence for a moment. “When I was five, I wasn’t entirely sure if my name was Keith or Kit,” Keith chuckled. “I was definitely called the latter more.”

Abruptly Lance was stuck with an image of Keith with fox-like ears, and he bit his lip hard to keep that from just falling out of his mouth. He cleared his own throat, and smoothed his expression out. “Kit, huh? I don’t really think it fits what I’ve seen of you, anyway…”

Keith laughed. “Yeah, I don’t know if it’s because I couldn’t properly tell the sailors my name or if they were just teasing me… either way, after a couple years of only being referred to as Kit, I was starting to wonder if I was the one that had it wrong instead.”

Lance chuckled. “I can’t say that I blame you.” He wanted to ask if Keith grew up on a ship, because most sailors Lance had met weren’t the teasing type, but, he wasn’t sure if it would go smoothly. “I like the ocean.”

“Yeah,” agreed Keith wistfully. “Me too… Spent the better part of my childhood surrounded by it.” He glanced at Shade and figured he’d already started, might as well finish. He sighed, looking back along the road. “I think at one point in time I had been out there with a relative of some sort, but I don’t remember anything earlier than working and living at various shipyards, occasionally the ships themselves… Pretty sure they only let me stick around because I was small enough to squeeze into all the small spaces they couldn’t, but, it kept me fed and there was always somewhere to sleep. And when some bounty hunters came snooping around for a fugitive they expected to try fleeing back to his homeland, I curiously followed around the young apprentice while he was trying to do his work… he saw something in me, I suppose, and I’ve been travelling with him ever since… haven’t been back in too many years.”

Lance let the silence settle for a moment, mulling over what Keith had told him. Part of him, really wanted to return the favor, share a story for a story, but Lance’s story didn’t end positively, like Keith’s did, and he wasn’t really sure it was the best thing to do. So, as was apparently becoming his habit, he compromised. “Do you… want to know why, I chose Shade as my name?”

Keith had let his mind wander, drifting somewhere between past and present, but Shade’s words had him snapping to attention. He felt his voice was barely audible when he responded. “Yes.”

“When I was little, I had a name that was supposed to remind me to be strong. When… it turned out that I wasn’t able to do that, I chose something that fit what I could do. So… I’m Shade… because that’s what I am - a Shade; a figure in the dark.”

Keith’s brow pinched. “You’re strong -- Without you, we wouldn’t have gotten anywhere with this case… You know… Shade is also soothing, comforting, a shelter or protection… So, I stand by what I said… fitting.”

Lance watched Keith out of the corner of his eyes. “Well… thank you. I… hope you still think so after we’re done in Kassis.” His tone was soft, then he straightened his shoulders a bit. “Alright then, Red. Let’s get you those answers you need.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooh getting some more of their backstories!!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading. To those of you that have been following week to week, bless you, you've got more dedication that I do lol and thank you for all of the kudos and comments, they really make our day!
> 
> <3 Holly


	6. Understanding

The sight of Kassis, was a little underwhelming. It wasn’t a real town, everyone knew that. It was two tall wooden towers, one on each side of the town, and a mismatched, wooden fence that kept the people inside hidden from anyone on the road. The towers, looked worn, but sturdy enough, and there were two people carefully watching as Lance and Keith made their way closer. Lance had explained that the best thing for Keith to do, was to pretend the towers weren’t even there, and to just walk right past them. He’d also recommended, that while they were in town, for Keith to keep his knife in his pocket with his hand curled around it. 

The inside of the town was almost worse than the outside. There were people scattered all over. There was a man, in the most absurd outfit ever seen, made entirely of small pieces of colored fabric, each piece a different color, who was hammering something together, while directly across from him, a woman passed over a bit of bread and was handed a child’s dress in return. A handful of children ran past, each of them with cups in their hands, as they passed around water, before running back to a hunched man standing near a well. As they made their way to the third and last building in the town, Lance started talking too low and soft for anyone other than Keith to hear. 

“The best thing to do, is keep most of your attention on me. Remember, this is supposed to be me showing you how things work, especially if you’ve been at the mines for a while. If someone does ask you how things are up north, tell them slow since the tunnel collapsed last month. I’ll do most of the talking, but that’s for tomorrow. Tonight, we can stay at the hostel. It’s for visitors only, but, with what I have to trade, the room will at least be sort of clean.” He shot Keith an apologetic look, before looking up and nodding, this time speaking clearly. “We’ll stay there, tonight, Red. Sound good?”

“Yeah.” Keith kept his eyes trained on Shade, but stole glances at the town as much as he could without being obvious. He followed Shade to the only other building in town that wasn’t a guard tower. The dilapidated building made Keith feel dirty just looking at it, but he kept his face controlled when he realized it was their hostel.

The inside of the hostel was pretty barren. No rugs, or color to lighten anything up. Just simple wooden walls and floor, and a rickety table for the registration desk. The woman behind it was older, hair pulled back severely, and she huffed when they came in.

“How long?”

“One night.” Lance answered just as shortly, hands still in his pockets. “Two mats.”

“That’s extra.”

Lance ducked his head, and glanced at Keith, before he pulled one hand out, and reaching into one of the inner pockets of his coat. He held up a coverless book, with wrinkled pages. “This covers it.”

Almost instantly, her expression changed, brightening and she actually smiled at them both. “Honey, for that, I’d marry you.”

Lance shook his head. “Just two mats, maybe a blanket and we’ll be good.” He held the little book out to her and she snatched it from him like it was made of gold. 

“Last door, has room for two. I’ll get your blankets after I hide this.” She shuffled off. 

“Was that a special book or something?” Keith asked under his breath.

Lance shook his head. “No, just a regular book. See…”

He raised his head when the woman came back, an armful of raggedy blankets in her hands. “Here you go, honey, that’s all I got.” She passed the blankets over with a nod for each of them.

“Thanks.” Lance nodded, and led the way back to the room, dumping them blankets on one of the mats, before motioning for Keith to close the door. 

“Remember how Pidge asked if we had a system of what is more valuable? Books are at the very top. They’re hard to find, and something everyone wants.”

Keith hummed in thought. The rules of this world still surprised him. He circled the room before picking a mat and dropping down to lay on it. He mulled over what Shade had said and quickly felt his frown of concentration morph into a smirk. “So… a book is all it takes for a marriage agreement, huh?”

Lance threw a blanket at Keith’s face in retaliation. “Stop it. It was probably a joke. Well, maybe. Either way, I’m not getting married over a book.”

Keith laughed. “I don’t know, she seemed pretty smitten,” he teased. “If not a book, then what’s someone gotta do for such a catch?” Keith was still smiling, just barely containing himself when he looked over at Shade.

Lance dropped onto the empty mat, uncaring that it was thin or that the floor was cold. He was going to throw out an absurd price, play up the joke a little, but he found himself, answering honestly. “They’d have to stick around long enough to earn my name, at least.” He then ducked his head, messing with the blankets a bit. “But, I’m hardly a catch…”

The laughter died on Keith’s lips. He pulled the thin blankets up around him and rolled away from Shade, muttering to himself. He hoped Shade hadn’t heard him disagreeing. He sighed, rubbing at his face. “Goodnight, Shade.”

….

It had taken longer than usual for Keith to fall asleep. He was used to the comfort of being surrounded by his team and all of his weapons, of knowing his surroundings and what he could generally expect from them. He was in an all new world, and the what ifs had sped through his mind for too long, but curled under the pile of blankets and trying to match Shade’s breathing, he had finally drifted off.

Keith stretched on his little mat, sleepiness clinging to his very bones, but an old wound in his shoulder had grown tight in his current position; he popped and rolled the shoulder, rolling to his other side in the process. Keith hadn’t noticed that the mat now currently at his back had been empty, but as he blinked against the darkness and the cloudiness of sleep, he could see that Shade was sitting across the room at the small rickety table near the window.

Shade had his head bent over his shirt, eyes fixed on the dark fabric as he worked to patch it. His coat was laying across the table while his back and shoulders were clearly visible in the moonlight. With his head bent, it was easy to see the lighter colored skin of scars that were littering his shoulders and upper back. Those thick lines soon turned into a mess of burn scars that covered almost his entire back. The scars were smooth, almost shiny from the passage of time, and far paler than Shade’s actual skin tone. It was hard to tell by moonlight alone but there were spots that looked to be a bit darker than others, but the scars covered from his shoulder blades all the way down to where the chair blocked the light.

The breath caught in Keith’s lungs. It wasn’t that he was surprised that Shade had scars, he had his own fair share. Hell, even Pidge had her own, but the multitude of marks littering his body was staggering. Keith’s chest tightened uncomfortably. He had so many questions. He wondered if this was standard for an unfortunate; how many years of suffering were etched into that soft skin? He didn’t like knowing that Shade had endured so much pain in his life. He let his eyes rove over the expanse of skin touched by moonlight. Shade’s arm moved, and Keith’s attention was pulled from the scars. “Shade, what are you doing?” He croaked, unsure just how much had actually been audible.

Shade’s head snapped to the side, before he raised one shoulder in a half shrug. “Patching my shirt. Sorry, if I woke you.” He tugged on the thread one last time, before he bit it off with his teeth. 

“Why are you doing that in the middle of the night? ... In the dark… instead of sleeping.” Keith yawned for good measure. 

Shade slipped the shirt back on, then reached for his coat. “Well, it’s kind of hard to do this during the day, what with chasing Rolo all over. But, I’m done now.” He moved back toward his mat, making almost no noise at all. 

“I… guess that’s fair.” Keith rolled as he watched Shade move around the room. He wanted desperately to ask about the scars. Their current partnership was delicate at best and Keith didn’t want to put them back at square one, but he knew that conversation wasn’t meant for the light of day. It was like the marks themselves, only safe in the cocoon of night. “You… you’ve endured a lot,” Keith murmured into the space between them.

Shade settled down on his back, looking oddly comfortable despite the lumpy mat. “Mmm, yeah. I suppose. But then -- so have you, right?”

“If I’m showing you mine and you’re showing me yours, I’ve already lost just seeing your torso,” Keith chuckled, rolling to his back. “We both know you’ve led a life harder than I can imagine, my old wounds are nothing.”

Shade actually chuckled. “Not exactly what I meant, but given how you casually rolled with the whole… exploding building thing, I’ll just call us even.” He turned to look toward Keith, “you... maybe aren’t the complete asshole I thought you were….”

Keith actually laughed at that. “That is pretty high praise…”

Shade shook his head, a small smile on his face. “Yeah, yeah. I’m honest enough to admit it. You aren’t too bad… But I think I like Hunk better.”

“Everyone likes Hunk best,” Keith laughed. “You get kicked out of the team if you don’t, I’m pretty sure. But, uh… you’re alright too…”

“Well, I will probably never be able to aim for higher than that. I’m deemed alright. My life is complete.”

Keith shoved at him from where he lay before pulling his blankets up and over his head, hoping Shade couldn’t see how hard his shoulders were shaking from laughing. He was glad his team wasn’t here, he’d never hear the end of it for giggling like children in the middle of the night. “Go to sleep, you idiot,” Keith said, his voice still laced with humor.

….

Lance found himself up early, even for him. He ended up back at the little table, dumping everything out of his pockets so he could be confident when it came time to trade. He had the five broken gears and cogs from Pidge, three chunks of bread from Hunk, the purple colored strip of cloth from Shiro, and Keith’s leather strap. _That_ _should be good enough for finding Rolo._

He still had the little chocolate ball, tucked into the bag in one of his pockets. He knew exactly where that would go. Unable to stop himself, he glanced over at Keith, biting at his lip. He hated not knowing how Keith would react, but there was nothing Lance could do to keep the secret he kept here an actual secret. He shook his head, focusing on his trade piles. He also knew exactly where the little handful of coins would go. Agreement to help or not, Lance couldn’t use those. 

Which left him with, a broken compass, a pretty crystal from the mines, and his gun parts. He absently fingered the little bag of parts. He’d be planning a special gun for years now, and he was very close to having everything he needed. It had taken him years to collect the pieces, making sure each part was exactly what he wanted. He drew out the handle. It was only a handle, made of a dark wood, but it curled perfectly to fit Lance’s hand. It had been the hardest piece to find. He didn’t exactly want to use any of it, but he had made an agreement to help find that missing child. Decisively, he shoved everything but the handle, back into the little bag, and started shoving all his trading materials into the inner pockets of his coat. He left the little chocolate pastry, and the coins in one outer pocket and the handle piece in the other. He’d make Vakala his last stop. He was an expensive bastard, but he knew more about black market trading than anyone. If anyone would know about that missing kid, it would be Vakala.

Resigned to the long awkward day, and already planning exactly how to keep Keith from blabbing everything, Lance pushed himself up, and eyed the little pile of blankets. He didn’t want a repeat of last time, Keith waving a knife at him was a one time only event. But, Lance really wasn’t good at waking people. He couldn’t even call Keith’s actual name very loudly or the woman at the desk would hear him.  _ Hell _ … maybe he should just, hit Keith with the leftover blankets and deal with the knife waving….

Once again, Lance decided to try the easy way of waking Keith first, again poking his shoulder a couple of times and calling his name as loudly as he dared. Of course, as was Lance’s luck, Keith didn’t move. Lance considered, then slowly, warily, reached out and shook Keith’s shoulder a little. Still nothing. Absently, he wondered if it was simply because Keith was inside that caused him to sleep so deeply, or if that was just how Keith was. It didn’t seem to fit his… ready to fight at a moment’s notice personality. 

Lance shook his head again, and scowled. They had a lot to do today, and the last thing they could afford was to waste time sleeping. Abruptly, Lance shook Keith’s shoulder again, half rolling him over as he practically hissed in his ear. “Keith, wake the hell up!”

Keith lurched. His eyes flew open and he grabbed hold of whatever had hold of him. He rolled, throwing his weight onto his attacker before his brain caught up with his body. He looked down to where he now had a frantic Shade pinned to the pallet he’d been sleeping on. Keith’s eyes went wild and he tried to climb off as quick as he could, his legs tangling in the bedding. “Shit, sorry. Shit.”

Lance’s head hit the mat, and he blinked up at Keith before the other man scrambled off him. “What… The… Fuck… I am not waking you up ever again.” Lance slowly sat up, rubbing at the back of his head. “Geez…”

“Sorry, sor-” Keith shook his head, fixing Shade with a scowl. “Actually, no, you know what, if you would just wake me up like a normal person, instead of scaring the shit out of me every time…”

“Excuse me?” Lance shook his shoulders out and returned the scowl. “It’s not my fault I can’t exactly scream your name at the top of my lungs. Again, I poked you, called your name. I even shook your shoulder! You sleep like the dead!”

Keith blushed. It had been a very long time since someone other than one of his teammates had woken him up. He didn’t realize he was so hard to wake. “O - oh.” He took a deep breath, smoothing out his bed head. “I guess… yeah, alright…” He couldn’t really argue with anything Shade said.

Shade got to his feet, shaking his head. “I told you, I’m no good at this.” He rubbed his head one more time before sighing. “Ah well… At least you didn’t hold a knife to my neck, so there is that.” He shrugged. “Could have been worse.”

Keith chuckled. “Well, I’m sorry anyway, I guess…” He avoided Shade’s eyes as he started to get ready for the day.

….

It was a cool day, winter fast approaching, and Lance frowned a little as he looked up at the cloudy sky. “Alright Red, we’re going to do a little trading. Now,” He paused, eyes darting about, moving from face to face, quickly, before adjusting his explanation to fit the listening ears. “I know that at the mines, trading involves money, but that is just there. No where else uses coins. I’m on a couple of little jobs right now, so it’s a perfect time to show you how trading works, sound good?”   


“S - sure.” Keith wasn’t exactly used to playing the passive participant in missions, but he would do whatever needed to be done to ensure this played out for them, and if that meant following Shade around all day like an idiot… well, that’s what he was going to do.

Lance led him away from the hostel, toward the brightly dressed man, who was again hammering something together. It looked almost like it was supposed to be a chair, but then, it had six legs.

Shade was a couple steps ahead of Keith when a small dark blur shot past Keith, just barely dodging around his legs and moving straight for Shade. The blur was soon revealed to be a little girl. She had dark hair, and had both arms wrapped around one of Shade’s legs. Her face was buried in his pant leg. Unlike all the other children that were running from group to group, she was wearing clothes that looked a lot like Shade’s, gray pants, and a gray shirt. 

Shade shot Keith a nervous look before he ducked, scooping the little girl into his arms and bringing her to his eye level. Immediately, little arms curled around Shade’s shoulders. 

“Hello, little Shroud. Did you miss me?”

The dark head nodded before her head turned to look at Keith with shy, somber eyes. Her face was pale, dirty, thin, with skin much lighter than Shade’s and her long hair was messy, but her eyes stared directly at him. 

“Don’t worry about Red, he’s my friend, alright?” Shade’s tone was soft, gentle in a way Keith hadn’t heard before. The girl shook her head, laying her head on Shade’s shoulder, but keeping her blue-gray eyes fixed on Keith

Shade kept her close, holding her with one arm as he dipped his hand into an outer pocket. “I know, you don’t know him, but, he gave your big brother a really nice present a couple of days ago, and I saved part of it just for you. But, you have to thank him for it, before you can have it, Shroud.” 

The girl, Shroud, turned again to look at Keith. Her face stayed serious but one hand uncurled from Shade enough to wave at Keith before it wrapped right back around Shade’s neck.

Keith’s mouth felt dry. It was one thing to see an adult unfortunate up close, but seeing the effects of such a hard life already playing out on such a young face had his heart dropping into his stomach. He watched how the girl hung tightly to Shade. The man had seemed like someone inclined to keep to themselves, a loner, Keith was having a hard time reconciling that image with what he was seeing in front of him.

Again, Shade glanced at Keith, before he drew out the little chocolate ball, Keith had bought him in Krell and handed it to Shroud. She took it, ran her fingers all over it, then looked up at Shade, getting a nod, before she slowly moved it toward her mouth. 

“Little bites, remember? The slower you eat, the more full you feel.”

Again, a silent little nod, as she took a very small bite of the treat. It was obvious that it didn’t matter that it was old, and mostly stale, her eyes still widened, and she stared at the pastry before a tiny smile crossed her face, as she took a second small bite. 

“Sorry, Red.” Shade stated, doing his best to avoid eye contact. “I hope you don’t mind a little company while we do our trading?” His tone was nervous, unsure, but he made no effort to put Shroud down. 

Lance really hoped that Keith wouldn’t ask any questions about Narti. His Shroud was wary enough, and the last thing he wanted her to hear was Keith talking about her, like she wasn’t there. 

Keith gaze finally left the little girl to look at Shade. “Y - yeah, I, uh don’t mind, I guess.” He couldn’t have said no even if he wanted to, this was Shade’s operation and if he said the little girl went, then she was going. Keith wouldn’t mention the added benefit of getting to witness more of this softer version of Shade.

….

Learning about Rolo was easy. The bit of cloth from Shiro’s sleeve had been traded to the man with the colorful outfit and he gleefully told them that Rolo had met Nyma there almost three days ago. The bits of bread from Hunk were given to a woman that appeared to be in charge of clothing, and she complained about Rolo and Nyma standing directly in the middle of the street arguing over which target was easier. When pressed, and encouraged by the pretty crystal Shade passed her, she admitted, that she did not know what targets they meant, those were just the words they used. Keith’s leather strap was handed over to the man that drew the well water, and he softly informed them, using several extremely fancy words, that Rolo had bragged to everyone that he was due for a huge payout; that once he had who he was after, he and Nyma would be living like kings. In exchange for Pidge’s gears and a broken compass, one of the guards in the tower politely told them that both Rolo and Nyma had left after only a day, heading back toward Arus City, but that the two were on horses, which was very unusual,

….

Near the guard towers on the opposite side of town, Lance paused, one eyebrow raised as he watched a short, thin man pace back and forth in front of a dilapidated tent. The corner of his mouth twitched as the man ran his hands through his messy hair, making it stick up even more, before he turned to look down at Shroud, who was curled against his leg. 

“Is he looking for you?” 

Shroud shrugged, and inched just a bit closer. She wrinkled her nose at the man, and pouted up at Lance. 

Lance sighed, aware of Keith watching. “Shroud, I’ve told you before not to make Slav worried. He’s a mess when he worries…” Finally, Lance raised his eyes to meet Keith’s. “This… um… won’t take long…” 

Keith nodded, watching curiously as he followed Shade. He hadn’t known anything about the girl to begin with, and in a place where Keith couldn’t really predict what might happen from one moment to the next, he had taken to keeping his mouth shut and staying on his toes and trying for the world to not look childlike in his interest. 

Lance bit his lip, but took a couple of steps forward, calling out as he went. “Slav!”

“Shade! Of course, no wonder my charge disappeared if you are here. I swear, that girl only listens to you. Why she --”

“Slav.” Lance stated firmly. “What have I told you about talking about Shroud like she isn’t here?”

Slav’s eyes widened and he started tugging a bit on his hair. “Yes… yes… of course. Apologies, Shade; apologies Shroud… I get so frazzled you see…”

Lance glanced at Keith, then took a breath. “It’s fine. I need you to do something for me. I want you to bring Shroud to the Arus City Sanctuary at the end of the week. I’m doing some work right now, but I should be done by then. Shroud is big enough to stay with me from now on.” 

Shroud took a step back, closer to Keith and a wide happy smile crossed her face. For the first time, she looked like a normal happy child. She reached out and tugged at Keith’s pant leg, then pointed at Lance, her smile still wide.

Keith couldn’t help the infectious smile he returned to her. He understood her enthusiasm, and something about her reminded him of himself. She was so young, but she already understood that this is not where she wanted to be, especially not when the one person that she cared most about was out somewhere in the world.

“Of course… I will but I must say, I do not think she is old enough. She is only four, Shade.”

Lance stared at the man in his too big coat and tattered white gloves. “She’s probably at least six, Slav.” He actually smiled a bit, seeing Shroud tug excitedly at Keith. He was a bit surprised, but if Shroud liked him, then Keith really wasn’t that bad after all.

Slav opened his mouth to argue again, but it snapped closed immediately. “Yes… yes; I will bring her as you ask….”

Lance took a moment to dig every coin he had out and passed the little pile to Slav, whose eyes widened. “Make sure she has shoes, and is fed.”

“Of course… of course. At the end of the week. We will find you there?”

“Let Coran know. He’s the caretaker there. Just tell him you are supposed to meet me. I’ll bring Shroud back before I leave.”

Slav’s eyes darted from Keith to Lance and back again, but he nodded several times. 

Lance didn’t mind Slav, but he was often too much to handle, especially after he started rambling, so Lance turned to Keith. “Lets go, Red. One last stop.”

Keith stopped his pseudo staring contest with Shroud to acknowledge Shade. “Lead the way.”

….

Lance tilted his head a bit, eyes fixed on a man who was sitting calmly in a chair, with a small table directly in front of him. The other people moving around were giving the man a wide berth, and Lance let himself sigh before shaking his head several times. Almost immediately, Narti mimicked the motion, before she shifted just a bit closer to Lance’s leg. 

“Alright, so there is really only one last thing we need to know, and if anyone is going to know about it, it will be Vakala. Just…” Lance dropped his eyes from Keith’s face to land on Narti, who was still half tucked under his jacket. “He deals in the black market, and he’s sharp, he won’t be fooled by your clothes. Just…. Stay here with Shroud… please?”

Keith’s eyes got wide, and he scrambled for an excuse as to why that was such a bad idea, but Shade had already moved on. Keith tried not to obviously panic over the fact that he didn’t know the first thing about kids, and should definitely not be left alone with one. 

Lance glanced at the man again then dropped to one knee, facing Narti. “Alright Shroud. You stay right here with Red. Remember his arm is hurt so your job is to keep everyone away from him. Got it?”

Her face brightened, and she nodded several times before shuffling over to stand next to Keith. She glanced up at him, then back at Lance, before crossing her arms in an excellent mimicry of Keith’s scowl.

The table was close enough for Keith to easily hear everything said, and he did his best to divide his attention between Shade and his little Shroud. It was his first time watching a child, but he was determined to make sure nothing happened on his watch. He didn’t think Shade would be too pleased if he let this child… break or something… catch fire… whatever kids did.

“Vakala, I’m looking for some information.”

The man, was angular, with a long moustache that hung down past his chin. He crossed his hands, tapping his fingers against his chin. “Is that so? You have a payment then?”

Lance frowned, slipping the little bag of parts out and holding them up. “I do.” 

A slow smile crossed the man’s face. It wasn’t pleasant, but it was not malicious either. “Ask then.”

“I’m on a job, and part of that job is looking for a missing normal boy. He’s being held so his family can be blackmailed. Heard of anything that fits?”

“I know of a couple that were taken by slavers, and I heard of a girl that was traded by her family for a boy instead… But, I cannot say that I have heard of one being used as ransom.” Vakala frowned. “I do not like being out of the loop. Therefore, I will make you a deal. Give me your trade, and I will investigate this matter for you. If there is a boy being held, you will know it by the end of the week. A location and all information possible on those that took him. Agreed?”

Lance hesitated. On one hand, that was a much better deal than he had been expecting, but on the other hand, it would take a week for them to know where the child was. Still, Lance had agreed to do what he could. Abruptly, he tipped open the bag, letting the gun parts spill across the table. Each piece was a dark gray, and all of them looked very well crafted. 

Vakala hummed in approval. “I must say, that is indeed a fair trade. You have my guarantee on the matter then. Will you be remaining here, or shall I have the information sent to you?”

“The Sanctuary in Arus City will be fine. Thank you, Vakala.” 

The parts were quickly scooped up and hidden away. “This is not your usual type of job, Shade. Do be careful, now.”

Lance fought down a shiver. “Noted, good day.”

He managed to keep a blank face until he was again standing next to Keith, before he blew out a sharp breath. “Man, I hate that guy.”

He let his shoulders droop for just a moment, before he was looking over at Keith, keeping his voice low as he spoke. “Well, that’s it. I used everything I had to trade… Sorry, I couldn’t learn more, but Vakala will send me what he finds at the end of the week. So let me take Shroud here back, and we can be on our way.” 

Keith swallowed back bile. He hadn’t realized Shade was trying to work the case he had made up. He gripped his sweaty palms at his side as he followed Shade. He had just watched helplessly as Shade had given up valuable belongings for a child that never existed. Keith walked silently with Shade and Shroud and tried to fight back the feelings roiling in his gut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise!! Narti!!!
> 
> Isn't she the cutest thing?! Lindsay completely surprised me with her, I had no idea!
> 
> Anyway, as always, feel free to come yell at us on tumblr!
> 
> [EDIT: THERE IS NOW AMAZING ART BY ISSY FOR THIS CHAPTER!!](https://someonetheelusivefangirl.tumblr.com/post/170887535838/lies-priorities-and-sacrifice-another-quote)


	7. Where the Path Leads

Lance was quiet after they left the town, absently taking a completely different route, so that Keith could wash the dirt off in a nearby stream before they met back up with the others. He wasn’t terribly concerned with the dirt still on his own face, he was still thinking of Kassis, and waiting for Keith to break his silence. He kept his eyes down, as Keith washed his face, hands shoved deep into his coat pockets. 

The stream was cold, and Keith was thankful for the shock to his system. He knew he was behaving strangely, but he was afraid that if he opened his mouth, the truth would come spilling out, and he needed to choose his words wisely. He couldn’t just allow the words to come tumbling out of his mouth in a stress induced ramble, and that is exactly what would happen if he so much as tried to say Shade’s name. So, he washed in silence and hoped he could find the words to explain to Shade that he had not been completely honest -- no, that he had lied to him. Plain and simple. He groaned as he wiped the excess water from his eyes.

They walked in silence for awhile, and while Keith’s guilt only intensified, his panic had receded marginally. He needed to talk to Shade about, well everything, but he didn’t think he could just jump in with that. Maybe it’d be easier if he started with something else. Keith racked his brain to think of something to say. In the end, he went with the one thing that had been gnawing at him all day. “I, uh, wasn’t expecting a… little girl… To be honest, you seem so comfortable being alone… she, um, must be really important to you, huh?”

Lance kept his eyes on the path, his hands shoved into his pockets. “In a way, I am comfortable alone… but…” He took a breath then started talking. “I found Shroud in Galra Town. I don’t know if you’ve ever been there, but it is… not a place for an unfortunate. Most places just ignore or drive us away… in Galra Town, an unfortunate tends to be hunted. Like a sport.” Lance paused, to keep his voice even. 

“She was in an alley, and when I found her, she’d already been hunted and caught. She was hurt, and pretty badly too. I won’t go into any details, but, it was luck and only luck that she’s still alive. She… looked up at me, and… she reached for me…” Lance could still see it clearly, his Narti laying on her side, bruises littering her skin, and that tiny hand, raising up, just a little to reach for him.

Lance’s tone grew soft, “that isn’t something that happens, you know… People don’t… just reach out a hand to you. But here was this little girl, hurt, and… she did. I couldn’t have left her there if my life depended on it.”

He cleared his throat, and shook his head. “I took her to Kassis, gave her a name, that is all hers, called her something close enough to my chosen name for everyone to know she’s under my protection. I arranged for Slav to look after her until she was big enough to travel with me. But… it’s time I start teaching her how to survive…” Lance ganced at Keith out of the corner of his eyes. “But… yes. She is. Shroud is… my little sister now.”

Keith smiled at him, soft and small. He couldn’t help but think of his own adoptive older brother of sorts. “She’s lucky to have you, Shade.”

Finally, Lance turned so his eyes met Keith’s. His voice was much quieter now, almost a whisper. “I would… appreciate it if… you didn’t mention her to anyone. She… can’t protect herself yet…”

“Y - yeah, of course.” Keith returned the intense gaze. “I promise.”

….

When the two reached the teams camp, it was to an all out ambush. Shiro latched onto Keith while Pidge inserted herself directly in front of Lance and started asking him questions. Hunk sort of hovered for a moment then started in with his own questions, until Lance wasn’t entirely sure, who had asked him what.

“What did they say?”

“Are you both alright?”

“Was Rolo there? Had he been there?”

“Are you hungry?”

“Did you have enough to trade?”

“We can give you more if you need it! Just tell us what you need.”

“I have a lot of pretty interesting parts…”

“We have plenty of food too.”

By the time the questions and comments finally slowed down, Lance’s eyes were wide as he stared at the two faces in front of him. He was still a little unsure why these two were asking him instead of Keith, but he slowly started answering the ones he had managed to catch during the onslaught. 

Keith watched with an amused grin. He acknowledged Shiro with a brief hug when he came to join him. “How did everything go?” Shiro asked.

“It went well, I think.” Keith was already back to watching the others. “Shade was able to get some pretty good information.”

“Good.” Shiro eyed Keith for a moment. “How was working with Shade?”

“Fine.” Keith shot him a look. He wasn’t sure what Shiro was asking, but he didn’t like the tone. “He really knows what he’s doing. I’ve never seen someone collect information so quickly and efficiently… And I behaved myself if that’s what you’re implying. No fights.”

Shiro barked out a laugh. “Is that so? Hmm.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Keith scowled at Shiro, arms firmly crossed against his chest.

“Maybe we should consider asking Shade to join us long term then.” Shiro glanced at Keith out of the corner of his eye, pretending to focus back on the others, but Keith knew better.

“Why do you say that?” Not that Keith disagreed, but…

“Well, someone that skilled at gathering information would be valuable, and considering I can count on one hand the people you don’t fight with-” Keith shoved him, biting back a smile. Shiro laughed, continuing. “I think we should talk it over with Hunk and Pidge and consider asking him when this is all wrapped up.”

Keith didn’t respond. He chewed the inside of his cheek while he considered how that might go. Would Shade say yes? What might a future with Shade on the team look like? Keith wasn’t sure, but an odd sense of impatience washed over him.

….

The group atmosphere on the way to Arus City was so drastically different from how it had been less than a week prior. There was a growing level of comfort and camaraderie that Keith was pleasantly surprised by. He felt a sort of peace watching the others laugh and chat. But the longer he watched, the more time he spent with Shade and learned pieces of his life, the more the guilt gnawed at him. He wanted to come clean to Shade. He needed to. 

Keith’s stomach turned as he slowed his even steps across the rocky terrain. “Shade. Can we talk?”

Lance paused, tilting his head slightly. “Sure. Did you… need something?”

Keith dragged his fingers through his hair, staring into the sky and hoping he wasn’t about to destroy everything. “Yeah… I needed to tell you… I - ”

“Keith!” Hunk spun around, one hand pointing back the way they were heading. “Pidge is trying to investigate a badger nest again!” He shifted back and forth a bit. “Please, please go get her out!”

“W - what?!” Keith spun towards where Hunk was pointing. “Pidge!” Keith was already jogging towards her when he called out over his shoulder. “Just- uh- hold on!” He turned back to the task at hand. “Pidge, are you kidding me?!”

Lance watched as Keith started attempting to drag Pidge away. He turned to Shiro. “Really? Doesn’t she know badgers are mean?”

Shiro shrugged. “I hate to say it, but Pidge is probably meaner.”

Keith came trudging back dragging a resisting Pidge behind him. He scowled at her before handing her off to Hunk and making his way to Shade. He took several deep breaths and attempted to smooth the lines on his face. “She’s going to kill me one of these days… Anyway…” He looked at Shade. “What I wanted to say was - ”

“Keith,” Shiro called from where he was at the front of their loose line.

Keith growled under his breath. “Yeah?” He called out to Shiro.

“It feels like it might rain. We may need to set up camp earlier than usual tonight.” He looked back at Keith for confirmation.

“Yeah, alright, sounds good,” Keith said in a single breath. He waited, eyes on Shiro for a moment to see if he had anything to add, but Shiro kept trekking on.

Lance looked from Shiro to Keith, over to Hunk who was easily carrying Pidge and back to Keith. “It’s still kind of odd to me sometimes, how different everything is. I mean… I’d just keep going, rain or not…” He shrugged, unsure. 

Keith’s brain took a second to switch gears. “Oh… Yeah, don’t tell Shiro, but I do the same when it’s just me, but, he likes to make sure we’re set down before it storms… Can’t really blame him I guess, we’ve been split up in storms before when they’ve hit too quick, and Hunk broke his leg when wet ground gave under him, so….” Keith shook his head. He had something to say and good god he was going to say it. “But, like I was trying to say… I, uh - ”

“Keith isn’t good at people situations.” Pidge stated from Shade’s other side. 

Lance actually jumped, moving away from her automatically. “Where the hell did you come from?”

“I kissed Hunk and he was so distracted it was easy to wiggle free.” She said it casually, pleased. “So, what are you two talking about?”

“Jesus Christ, Pidge!” Keith pulled at his hair, eyes squeezed shut. “What has Shiro told you about bothering people on purpose?” He glared at her and dropped his voice, leaning across Shade as if he wasn’t there. “Be gone, gremlin.”

Lance leaned back a bit, as Pidge reached up and poked Keith in the forehead. 

“No. I want to know what you two are talking about. Is it about camp? Or did you learn something else in Kassis? Just tell me.”

“Go away, Pidge,” Keith said monotonously, staring straight ahead. “Or I’ll tell Hunk about that surprise you got him in Krell.”

Pidge glared. “Fine. But I’ll remember this.” Her tone was dark, and she turned making a point to smack Keith’s arm with her pack as she stomped off. 

By this point, Lance was several steps away, eyes wide as he watched, the two of them argue.

Keith glared at Pidge’s back until she was far enough away that he was pretty sure she couldn’t overhear his conversation with Shade. However, she quickly caught up with Hunk and Shiro who had stopped to scope out a spot to set up camp. Keith reached out without thinking and grabbed hold of the sleeve of Shade’s coat as he came to a stop. “Wait…”

Lance flinched and paused, turning his head to look at Keith. “Um… Yes?” He really wasn’t entirely comfortable, what with the argument, but Keith had spent the last twenty minutes trying to tell him something, the least he could do was listen. 

Keith’s nails pressed into the flesh of his palm. He looked into Shade’s eyes and his stomach bottomed out. He was going to tell him that he’d been lying to him since basically day one. That all of their time spent together was founded on this lie. His mouth felt dry and he tried to swallow. He cleared his throat. “I, uh, wanted to tell you… that, uh, Shiro and I will make room in the tent for you, since it’s going to rain…”

Lance blinked. He wasn’t entirely sure what he expected but that… wasn’t it. “Um… I.. uh.” He shook his head several times, confused. Finally, he shrugged. “I’ll agree to let you try? I mean, Shiro’s kind of a big guy…”

Keith pushed down the guilt and hoped he didn’t look too despondent. “If they fit all three of them in a tent after we got separated, then I think we’ll be fine.”

Lance’s mouth fell open a little. “They fit -- Where the hell did Pidge sleep? I..” He raised both hands up, and shook his head several times. “Fine. Fine. But, the first time anyone kicks me, I’m back to my trees.”

Keith couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of him. “That’s fair.” He would just have to tell Shade later… He just needed another day...

….

Shiro had agreed to sharing the tent for the night. Keith had done his best to duck out of the surprisingly proud reaction his request had garnered. They had shoved all three sleeping packs into the small space, the edges overlapping in several spots. Hunk had cooked some small animal he and Pidge had caught while Shiro, Keith and Shade had set up the rest of camp. No sooner than the last of the food had been consumed, the heavy drops Shiro had predicted had begun to fall. They had scrambled to put away what needed to stay dry, and rushed into the tents. Keith removed his boots as he ducked into their small shared space, running his fingers through his damp hair. It was still only drizzling, but he could hear the storm picking up already. Shiro began removing his outerwear, bundling them dry side up to put under his head. Keith tried not to look at Shade as he followed suit.

Lance settled cross-legged on his own mat, which was tucked near the edge of the tent. It was a little weird, to be honest, sleeping in such close quarters. But, based on the sound of the wind, it probably was for the best that he didn’t sleep his usual way. He glanced up at Keith then Shiro before he dropped his head back down. “Thanks… for sharing…”

Keith was thankful that Shiro immediately spoke up. “Of course.” Shiro smiled as he wormed his way under his covers. “We wouldn’t want you hurt or sick when there’s a simple solution.”

Lance twisted a bit, letting his back pop several times, before he laid down on his side, coat still on, and pulled the blanket up. “I promise I don’t move around much, so I won’t take a lot of space.” 

Keith cleared his throat, but once again, Shiro had beat him to the punch. “It’s fine, Shade, Keith is a pretty hard sleeper, and if I can sleep through Hunk snoring and Pidge tossing and turning, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Keith tried to ease the frown directed at Shiro as he tried again. “Y - yeah… but are you really going to sleep in your coat? Won’t that be uncomfortable, or at the very least… wet?”

Lance chuckled, low and amused. “It’s not as wet as it was after the river. Besides, since all my pockets are mostly empty now, it won’t even be lumpy. Besides, it’s an extra layer. Nothing to worry about.”

Keith nodded absently as he finally crawled into his own bed. He could feel Shiro’s warm back on one side and the distinct lack of contact on his other side. He wasn’t even sure how Shade was managing it in the small space, but Keith took several deep breaths, attempting to match the already slow and even breaths coming from Shiro. Keith knew the temperature was dropping outside of the tent, but it seemed exceptionally warm inside.

Lance was a light sleeper out of habit, but he also rarely moved after he did fall asleep, a habit learned from sleeping in trees and other strange places. Falling asleep was never the hard part, it was always staying asleep. It was surprisingly warm and almost comfortable in his spot, curled near the edge of the tent.  He fell asleep much quicker than he’d thought he would. 

Keith could almost feel as much as see the tension bleed out of Shade as he silently fell asleep. He seemed years younger, Keith mused. He watched in what little light still bled into the tent from the dying fire outside. When Shiro rolled from his side to his back, Keith tensed, worried he’d be caught or worse, that Shiro’s movement would wake Shade. He squeezed his eyes shut until Shiro’s breathing had evened out once more. 

Keith tried to wiggle his shoulder out from where Shiro had trapped it with his own. Shiro’s broad shoulders took up far more space than Keith had really allowed for. He held his breath as he shifted slightly further towards Shade. He inevitably rolled away from Shiro to create a bit more room. He couldn’t help but think about the journey that had brought them to this very moment. Keith would have laughed if he hadn’t been trying not to wake the other two. What would he have said a week ago if someone had told him he’d be sharing a tent with an unfortunate? He quickly frowned at himself, he didn’t like thinking of Shade in those terms. It wasn’t what he saw when he looked at him anymore, hadn’t been for awhile. Keith took a deep breath and finally let himself ease into sleep, watching the rise and fall of Shade’s chest.

It was the sound of rustling outside the tent that drew Lance out of sleep. He stilled, slightly disoriented, as he strained to hear what might be making the sound. After a long moment, he decided it was a nighttime animal, a raccoon maybe, and turned his head a bit, resting it in the curve of his arm.  He was much warmer than he had been and it took him a minute to figure out why. Shiro was spread out on his back, one arm and a leg flung in the space Keith had been in, and Keith was now much closer than he had been before. Lance blinked, feeling his face heating up.

He really wasn’t sure what to think about Keith anymore. At first, well, it had been obvious, Keith had not liked Lance and Lance was perfectly willing to return the favor. But, then the river had happened. Keith had asked him, of all people for help, and then apologized. They had.. In a way, started over. Even in Kassis, Keith hadn’t complained about the state of the hostel, or about Shroud tagging along, he’d been fairly amicable too. Lance buried his face in his arm, admitting, to himself only, that maybe…. He was starting to like the prickly hunter a little more than he should. 

Keith was mildly aware of the bulky body at his back. He breathed deeply, eyes still closed. His shoulder was bothering him in the position he was in. He rolled towards the warmth in front of him, moving to his stomach in the process. He slipped right back into unconsciousness, feeling cozy and dazed.

Lance stirred, eyes slowly blinking open. He was lying at a strange angle, mostly on his back but still curled a bit. There was a warmth pressed against him, and a weight curled around his waist. It took him a moment to clear his head from the comfortable position to realize that the warmth was Keith, curled around him, with his head tucked right under Lance’s chin. That weight was Keith’s arm, that had somehow wiggled in under his coat. He blinked, yawned, blinked again then froze. _ What the fuck? _ Slowly, he tilted his head to stare at the top of Keith’s head. 

Lance could only stare, overly aware of his red face, and of each and every point of contact the two had. Keith’s face was pressed close to his chest, and one leg had wormed its way in between Lance’s. The arm around his waist was warm and solid, and he could feel the fingers bunched in his shirt. 

The only person that had  _ ever _ slept so close to Lance was Narti. She tended to wiggle as close as possible anytime Lance stayed in Kassis with her. Not even the various people Lance had fooled around with, actually slept with him. Sleeping together was like touching… like knowing a person’s name, well to a lesser extent. It was trust, and Lance was not sure when he’d given so much to Keith. 

It took a long while, but for once, Lance was thankful for Keith’s heavy sleeping, as he slowly and carefully wiggled and inched his way loose. When he was finally free, Lance paused, looking over at Shiro who was somehow taking up over half of the tent space on his own, to Keith, who was still curled up and now clutching at the blanket. Lance carefully draped his own over him, then quietly creeped out of the tent, fully planning on taking a  _ very _ long run and having a long several moments to himself to panic over it all. 

Keith stretched and groaned, the light of morning spilling into the tent. He was alone. He rubbed at his eyes, breathing in the scent of the storm’s aftermath. He pulled his blankets back up to his chin, as he listened to Hunk explain what he was currently preparing, he could afford a few minutes more. Keith fumbled with the blankets a bit, before he realized he had one too many. He stared at the top blanket, his sleepy brain taking too long to put anything together. His heart skipped a beat when he finally recognized it as part of the bedding he had bought for Shade. 

So much for falling back asleep… Keith sat up and stared down the empty mat beside him.

“Shade… just come down, please?” Shiro had his head tilted up, as he stood at the base of a tree. Pidge was snickering and even Hunk had a wide smile on his face as they watched their leader try and coax the man out of the tree. 

“I think I’m perfectly good up here. At least here I know I can stretch out an arm…” Lance hid his own smirk, having a grand time at Shiro’s expense. He’d taken his long run, ranted extensively to Slade and any other shadows that were nearby, and then dunked his head into a little stream to insure that he was calm when he returned to camp. But now, with everyone awake, he was going to have a little bit of fun himself. He pointedly, stretched both his arms upward and then out. “Or… I could move this way… or maybe even to a completely different branch of the tree. Much better than being squished because you had to do your best impersonation of a starfish.”

Pidge’s snickers grew until she was outright laughing at the pout on Shiro’s face. 

Keith wandered out from the tent, tugging his boots as he went. He made a face at the instant commotion. He stopped short of where Shiro stood, hands on his hips, and leaned towards Pidge. “What’s going on,” he stage whispered.

Pidge beamed up at him, eyes bright with humor. “Shade is protesting Shiro apparently taking all the space in the tent for himself. He even encouraged Hunk and I go climb up and have breakfast up there, so we have plenty of room.” Her whisper, quickly dissolved into more giggles. 

Keith’s cheeks flushed red at the memory of scooting in close to Shade during the night. He hid choking on nothing with a cough, hoping Pidge had not caught it. He tried to hide his minor embarrassment, and called out to Shiro, loud enough for the others to hear. “Were you actively trying to push us out of the tent,” Keith teased. “If you wanted your own tent, you should have bought yourself one.”

“Agreed… I’m half tempted to teach Keith here, to sleep in the trees himself, just so he has space.” Lance instantly added, raising one eyebrow as he stared down at Shiro from his perch. “I mean… the poor guy shares a tent with you all the time… For shame, Shiro.”

Keith laughed. His eyes were drawn up to where Shade sat perched in the tree. In a moment of bravado fueled by the easy laughter of the group, Keith swung himself up onto one of the lower branches of Shade’s tree. “You’re right, this is already an improvement to Shiro’s elbow in my back. I might actually get some sleep like this.” Keith made a face down at Shiro for good measure.

Pidge calmed enough to take a good look at Shiro’s face and tipped over with laughter again, even Hunk had joined in, chuckling at the embarrassed look Shiro had. 

“You’re all terrible. I have no idea why I stick around with any of you.” Shiro crossed his arms, an actual pout on his face. 

Keith laughed, climbing up a bit further. “Because no one else is going to be willing to share a tent with a space hog like you. You aren’t a king, Shiro.”

Lance laughed, bright and cheerful. “All hail, King Shiro…” He started laughing again, grinning down at Keith. Finally, he twisted, dropping down a couple of branches to crouch down closer to Keith’s level. “And to think… he makes you carry the tent for him to sleep in.”

“Terrible King,” Keith deadpanned. “I feel an uprising coming on.”

Hunk swallowed his laugh and stood, placing a hand on Shiro’s shoulder and steering him toward the fire. “Come on, your majesty, I’ll let you have first pick today. Come down here, and eat you two, you can tease Shiro more later.”

“Hunk!” Shiro’s tone was scandalized. 

“I’m sorry Shiro, but you do tend to… spread out when you sleep, we’ve just… never had the heart to tell you that.”

Pidge giggled a couple more times. “Well, I wanted to… but Hunk convinced me that since you usually share with Keith, it was… best for him to tell you.” 

“Obviously, Keith was too nice to say so.” Lance stated, offering Keith an almost shy smile. “But… Since we will probably be back in Arus City later today… I guess I can let it go.” He shifted, making his way out of the tree with practiced ease. 

Keith followed clumsily after, fighting the flush in his cheeks. When he caught up to the group again, he elbowed Shiro good naturedly. “I guess I normally just sleep through it.” He shrugged, sitting next to Shade. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to post this so late in the day. 
> 
> I've been super sick for like a month straight, this is my second time relapsing after being misdiagnosed twice, so I slept like all day today. The only reason I bring this up is because it's been a challenge to write recently because of it. We still have several chapters before we catch up to where we are, but there is a possibility that at some point we may switch to posting every other week if we start to get too close. Just thought I'd give y'all a heads up.
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for your continued support and kind words! Your comments give us life, and we often take to text or discord to yell at each other about them lol
> 
> <3 Holly
> 
> PS Bless Lindsay for being so patient and encouraging me to rest and take care of myself. She's the best writing partner and friend a kid could ask for, and fucking rewarded me for sleeping all weekend with her plans for an upcoming scene and I am dead y'all XD


	8. When You Try Your Best...

Honestly, Lance wasn’t sure if he was relieved or disappointed when Arus City finally came into view. Lance had actually been kind of enjoying the last couple of days since they left Kassis. Lance was starting to like these hunters, which is something he was sure would never happen, especially after their original meeting. But, he couldn’t ignore it anymore, he liked them. It worried him though at the same time. Lance had learned long ago that it was always in his best interest to listen when the shadows warned him, and they had all been very vocal lately. 

Lance could tell each one apart easily, even when they all blended as they crowded together. Shiro’s was steady and calm, rarely moving at all, while Pidge’s shifted and moved more than Lance’s own did. Hunks was large, twisting and blending in with the others, much like the big guy did when he handed out one of his team hugs, while Keith’s seemed to shift and jerk awkwardly. Each one had stretched toward Lance more than once, offering cautious words that didn’t exactly make sense. 

Slade was the only one that Lance had ever been able to hear clearly all the time, and all it had told him was ‘caution’. But despite the warnings, Lance couldn’t help the small smile that would form when Hunk grinned at him. He found himself answering Pidge’s endless questions, when she’d caught him chewing on leaves, Lance even going so far as to explain which ones were safe and which were not. He still flinched anytime anyone touched him, but he’d caught himself letting Shiro’s hand linger on his shoulder twice. Lance didn’t even shift away anymore when Keith stood a little too close. He wasn’t sure if those were good or bad things.

Still, he supposed it didn’t exactly matter. They’d be meeting with Allura and Coran once they were back at Arus City, and Slav would be showing up with his little Shroud shortly after that. Lance had done all he could to try and find a lead on that missing child, and he couldn’t do anything else until he either replenished his trade items or Vakala’s information arrived. Since it was likely they would go their own ways soon, Lance decided to just enjoy the rare feeling of belonging for once in his life. 

….

The last thing anyone expected to see was Coran pacing in the shade offered by Allura’s home. Shade paused at the sight, Keith almost bumping into him. They watched as Shade moved quickly, skirting the people with practiced ease. 

“Coran?”

“Shade!” In an instant, Coran had both arms wrapped around Shade, who stiffened immediately, his pack hitting the ground with a thud. Despite that, Coran kept his hold, not even loosening it when the rest of the group approached. 

“What is going on?” Keith demanded. 

Shade wiggled, uncomfortable. Keith didn’t exactly like seeing anyone holding the man so closely. It only reminded him that there was nothing but a lie keeping him nearby. A lie, that Keith kept forgetting about. A lie… that he was starting to feel too guilty to continue with. 

“I’m so relieved that you are safe, my boy.” Coran kept his hold, even as he raised his head to address the rest of the group. “I had tried to send a message to you in Kassis, but it must not have reached you. Allura has been kidnapped.”

For a moment no one moved, then everyone started hurling questions at Coran, everyone except for Shade. Keith kept his eyes on him, watching as he froze in Coran’s hold, eyes wide. Shade seemed to flicker, then he was out of Coran’s grip, and it was him holding Coran by the shoulders.

“What happened?”

“I do not know. I was supposed to meet her yesterday to go over some of the things she had learned about Rolo, and she was not here. Her home was ransacked, and there is no sign of her anywhere.” Coran reached up to grip Shade again but ended up grasping empty air, as Shade had abruptly vanished. 

Pidge cursed, Hunk sputtered and Shiro sighed, but it was Coran’s reaction that was most interesting to Keith. He simply nodded, and turned to face Shiro. 

“I would appreciate any help in finding her.”

“You knew.” Keith breathed, before his eyes narrowed. 

Surprisingly, Coran frowned. “Of course. Do you believe me to be a fool? I have known that Shade was special from the first time I met the boy.” Coran crossed his arms, then shook his head almost sadly. “It appears I was indeed wrong about you hunters. I had thought that you might be good for him, but if your primary concern is in fact, Shade’s talents and not Allura’s safety, then, perhaps he was correct about you after all.” 

“We are worried for Allura…” Shiro stated.

Hunk was nodding in agreement. Pidge was oddly quiet, eyes moving from face to face.

“That’s good, because Rolo has her.” Shade darted out of the house, a note crumpled in his hands. 

Coran turned away from the group and snatched the note, scanning it quickly. “Where did you find this? I was certain I had searched the entire place.”

Shade scowled. “Coran, how do we pass messages?”

“Oh… I… forgive me, Shade. I was not thinking clearly.” 

Pidge shoved her way past Keith and Shiro. “So, what does it say?”

Coran shook his head, handing the note back to Shade. “He wishes for a thousand pounds and unhindered passage on an airship to the south in exchange for Allura. He also wishes for the exchange to be done by one of his own.”

“Man… this job is a mess.”

“I’m starting to think all your jobs are...” Shade muttered. “How does Rolo, all these bombs and Allura all fit together… and why would he want to go south?” He tilted his head, looking thoughtful. “Then there’s that kid that no one seems to know about…”

There was an awkward silence, before Hunk spoke up hesitantly. “Um… what kid?”

Keith’s eyes widened. Nerves sparked through him like lightning, and every muscle in his body went rigid.  _ Fuck. _ “Well…”

“You know, the kid?” Shade’s eyes went from one face to another as he spoke. “The one that was kidnapped and his family…” Finally, Shade’s eyes landed on Keith and he stiffened. Keith could almost see him close himself off. “I see.” Shade dropped his eyes to the road. 

Shiro was looking from Keith to Shade. “What is going on?”

Keith bit the inside of his cheek. “Well… you see, I…” He was cut off by Shade laughing. It was not a happy sound, it was nothing like the cheerful laughter from before, this was hollow and empty. 

Coran actually took a small step back as Shade continued to laugh, uncaring that many people were eying him with disgust. He finally straightened and raised his head, but there was a shadow over his face, that had not been there before. 

“I have to say… that was very clever of you, hunter.” Shade’s tone was cold, like it had been when they were still on their way to Krell. “You certainly are good at what you do.”

“No… no. I - I didn’t…” Keith winced but scrambled to explain, but he was again cut off by that broken chuckle.

“Oh no… I think everything makes perfect sense now.” Shade smiled, dark and empty, before he turned to Coran, pointedly ignoring Keith and the others. “Don’t worry, Coran. I’ll find Allura.” 

“We can help you Shade.” Shiro started, taking a small step. “We…”

“No.” Shade cut him off sharply. “I don’t need your help. I don’t need your false kindness. I don’t need you pretending to give a shit.” Shade shifted, hands curled at his sides. “But, really.. I’m the stupid one. I knew better and I believed you anyway.” Again, Shade turned to Coran. “I’m finding Allura. Then I’m going back to the mines,  _ permanently _ . It was  _ safer _ there.” He turned and headed back inside Allura’s house. Coran, after one last frown, followed after.

Keith watched his back as he left. He could feel the eyes of his teammates on him, confusion set in their faces. For all the good intentions and built bridges, Keith had well and truly fucked up. His eyes burned, unblinking until Shade was no longer in sight. He grit his teeth, trying to bite back the anger and frustration with himself. He stumbled back away from Allura’s home. He punched the nearest tree with all of his strength, feeling the skin across his knuckles split.

“Keith!” Shiro had followed him, the others not far behind. “What is going on?”

Keith leaned his forehead against the rough tree bark. “I… I fucked up,” he croaked.

Hunk elbowed his way past Shiro and slowly placed a warm hand on Keith’s shoulder. “Hey, We all do that… Just… tell us what happened and we’ll fix it as a team. Like we always do. Right, Shiro?”

Keith groaned low in his throat. “I don’t think it can be fixed this time, Hunk…” Keith turned, leaning his back against the tree. His head hung, his hair falling into his face. He was an adult, but he still wasn’t ready to face them. “I… I lied to Shade…”

“What?” Shiro was hovering, Keith could feel the disapproval coming off him in waves. “Why would you do that? And what could you have said that upset him so much?”

Keith put his head in his hands, nails biting into his scalp. “I hired him… for a fake job… I wanted to come clean, I meant to, I just…” Keith groaned again.

Pidge stood a short distance away, eyes narrowed, but flicking from Keith to Allura’s home and back. Surprisingly, she said nothing to the little revelation, just kept a thoughtful look on her face. 

Hunk, however, looked incredibly disappointed. “Oh, Keith…” He sighed, then glanced at Shiro before continuing. “Was it when you were in Kassis? Is that why he was so quiet after?”

Keith tensed. Little fingers gripping his pants leg and a big smile flashed in his mind. “No. Everything was fine in Kassis… It was after Rolo’s, when we got separated.”

Hunk sighed. “That’s… a long time to keep it going… But… why?”

“At first, it was just to observe him a while longer, I guess… and then, I forgot, we were so swept up in things. I tried to tell him… I didn’t know how to break it to him… I didn’t want him to leave, but it looks like that blew up in my face and happened anyway.” Keith slid down the tree to the ground. 

“Ah well, fuck, Keith.” Pidge finally joined the discussion. Immediately, she pointed a finger at Shiro. “Don’t even start with me. Keith is obviously not allowed to talk to Shade anymore but one of us is going to have to.”

Shiro opened his mouth to reply, but Keith interrupted. “He’s never going to talk to me again anyway,” he said sullenly.

Shiro scoffed. “I don’t have time to lecture you on lying right now.” His attention shifted back to Pidge. “I agree, I don’t think Keith speaking is going to be anything but detrimental. I’ll talk with him. We just have to hope that he’ll even listen.”

Pidge shook her head. “He has to.” Her words were firm. “Because I think… no… I’m sure, that he’s the one Rolo is actually after. So your timing is terrible Keith, because before this, I was pretty sure Shade liked you best, and would actually listen to you if you warned him. Now though...”

Keith groaned yet again, before tensing and shooting up onto his feet. “Wait, what?! We have to warn him! We can’t let him go alone! We have to -”

“You will do nothing!” Pidge snapped. “You are in enough trouble.”

Hunk rested a hand on Keith’s shoulder, squeezing it lightly. “Pidge, what makes you think Rolo is after Shade? This started because of the attack on the festival, which had nothing to do with Shade.” 

“True,” Pidge raised one finger up. “But, Allura specializes in information. I’ve been paying a lot of attention since then. Remember when we first met him? What Coran said about having faith in Shade because he’d never let him down. Well, I believe that the attack on the festival was… in a way, bait for Allura, so he could grab her. Because, what other unfortunate would Coran trust enough to send to get Allura back?”

Keith’s eyes widened. “So -- what? We’ve basically been parading him closer and closer to a trap this entire time?!”

“Not exactly… From what I’ve noticed, it isn’t exactly a secret that Shade likes Coran and Allura, so Rolo would easily know that. But, I can’t figure out why he would go to Kassis. You said yourself, all he and Nyma did was talk a lot. It’s not like they knew Shade would be there. So, really, I think we managed to delay Rolo getting Shade, if anything…”

Keith scowled. He wondered if Rolo and Nyma knew about Shroud, but shook his head. Shade had made it clear that she was a well kept secret. “He spends a lot of time there, I think. At least enough for them to have probably figured he was overdue… but, why would Rolo be after Shade in the first place?”

Pidge scowled. “I don’t know. I haven’t figured that out yet, but everything is pointing to my theory being valid. I mean, why else would he ask for an unfortunate to deliver such a high amount of money, when any smart one would cut and run and actually live a good life for a while.”

“That makes sense, which means we need a plan.” Keith didn’t care if Shade hated him, well he did, but it wasn’t going to stop him from keeping him safe.

“I beg your pardon, Shiro. If I might have a word?” Coran spoke softly from a short distance away. 

“Of course.” Shiro gave his team, namely Keith, a look before meeting Coran in the middle. “What is it?”

“Ah well, Shade and I were intending to head toward my home to discuss our plans but first…” Coran held out Shade’s pack. “He asked me to return this to you all.”

“O-oh.” Shiro took the pack in one hand, but before he could even think of a response, Keith was ripping the bag from his hand and shoving it back into Coran’s chest.

“No. That’s his. I got it for him.” Keith held the pack out firmly, not making eye contact with Coran. “W-what would we even do with an extra pack anyway? And.. and the bed I bought him, it probably smells like his river coat. He can keep it. And- and the food in there too. And-” Keith finally dropped his hand, digging into his pocket and pulling out a handful of money. “And this…” He held out his hand to Coran.

Confused, Coran looked from Keith to the others. Pidge who was frowning, to Hunk who looked hurt, finally turning his head toward Shiro who’s face kept alternating between stunned and disappointed. 

“I confess that I do not exactly understand what it is that has happened between you and Shade, but… and please do not take this as rude… but I do not believe that is… exactly the best way to make amends…” Coran offered them a small smile. “I am sorry, but, I have to focus on Allura first. She is the one in the most trouble.”

“Of course,” Shiro said quietly, watching Keith dejectedly take the pack and money. “Coran, we believe Shade may be in danger, and that Allura is merely bait. I understand that Shade may not want to work with us, but it would be a mistake to allow him to go by himself.”

A frown crossed the man’s face. “While I am pleased that despite this… misunderstanding, shall we call it, that you are concerned for Shade, you must understand that, he knows far more about unfortunates and Rolo than you or even I do.” Coran slipped his hands behind his back. “In addition, there is the fact that Shade does not seem to trust any of you at this point, and I do not feel it my place to encourage him to do so if he will only be hurt in return.”

“He doesn’t have to like us, he just needs to realize that he’s walking right into a trap and it’s going to get him and Allura both killed,” Keith said with a building edge to his voice. “I don’t want to see him get hurt, Coran.” He looked pleadingly into Coran’s eyes. “Do you?”

“Of course not!” Coran actually scowled. “I have known that boy for far too long to wish him harm…” His eyes narrowed a bit, “Or to cause it. Very well, I shall attempt to encourage him to work with you to rescue Allura… but, if I feel that any of you are doing more harm than good, you will leave immediately.”

“Thank you, Coran,” Shiro said, placing a hand on Keith’s shoulder. “We just want to make sure they both come home safely.”

….

Coran carefully poked his head into the room, watching Shade stand completely still, hands clenched at his sides as he thought. He still wasn’t entirely certain this was the best choice of action, but, he did suppose that, the hunters did have a point. The more people looking for Allura the better. In addition, Coran could not ignore a possible threat to Shade. 

“Ah, Shade. Do you mind if we speak to you for a moment?”

Lance turned, took one look at the group behind Coran and immediately turned to stare in the opposite direction. 

Shiro cleared his throat and stepped hesitantly into the room. “Shade, I know your faith in us is a little shaken right now… but I’d like to put an offer on the table, and I’m going to have to insist that you hear me out and try to put Keith’s...indiscretion aside… for Allura’s sake, as well as your own.”

Lance rolled his eyes, knowing Shiro couldn’t see him, and didn’t even bother to turn around when he declined. “No, thank you. I have no reason to believe any of you actually care about Allura, except for Coran. I can take care of myself, I have been for years.”

“I don’t think that’s, uh…” Shiro rubbed the back of his head. “I mean… Allura is-”

“What he means is.” Pidge interrupted. “Shiro thinks Allura is gorgeous and absolutely _ wants  _ to care about her.” She crossed her arms, shooting Keith a glare for good measure. “I don’t know her very well, but I want to help and so does Hunk.”

Shiro coughed to cover his embarrassment. “Right. I think we all want to help, and I don’t think this is a one man mission, you should have backup, especially becau-”

Lance clenched his jaw.  _ What a damn hypocrite _ . “Backup implies that said people can be trusted to actually back you up. The only reason you don’t think this is a one person job is because you and your team didn’t get all the information you wanted to before I found out you all are liars.”

“Look,” Keith blurted out, stepping forward. He couldn’t keep quiet anymore. “I know you’re mad at me, and you have every right to be, but this isn’t on them, they weren’t the ones to lie to you… just me…”

Pidge looked like she was ready to interrupt, but Keith spat his words out just a bit too quickly. He was still banned from talking… but, she’d let it slide… just this once.

“That’s probably a lie too.”

Coran shook his head. “Shade. I understand that you are angry, and please do not think that I am taking their side. I simply wish for Allura to be returned home. If it will ease your mind, then I will gladly pay them to assist, so that you can be certain they will do their very best to insure her safety.”

“Fine. Do whatever you want, Coran. Allura is your niece and it’s your call. But don’t expect me to be nice to anyone.”

“I don’t expect you to forgive anyone, Shade,” Shiro sighed as he fixed a pointed look in Keith’s direction. “But, Coran, I can’t allow you to pay us. Rolo was our hit from the beginning, and if we had caught him as intended, this never would have happened, and no one else would be put in danger.”

Coran sighed. “There is… one additional thing, Shade.”

Lance turned his head just enough to stare at Coran. “What?”

“You see… they feel that… you are also in danger, if you were to attempt to rescue Allura alone.” It was obvious that Coran was choosing his words with care. 

“Coran, there is no reason to think that.”

“Shade.” Shiro stepped forward. “We have reason to believe that this was a trap set with Allura as bait, specifically for you. Which means they’ll be expecting you, they’ll be prepared, and that will not only put you at risk, but also Allura.”

Lance was prepared to dismiss it completely but Pidge finally broke her glare at Keith to pipe up. “Since, I know you aren’t inclined to believe just our word for it. At least, let me explain why I think this?”

After a long moment of silence, Pidge took it as an agreement and carried on. “It’s obvious that Coran trusts you. I barely know him and he told me that quite plainly the first day I met him. So why then, would Rolo ask for an unfortunate to deliver the ransom, and not expect Coran to send you? Hunk is the most honest person I know, and even he would at least consider just, taking that kind of money. For this, Coran would ask you, because he trusts you. So, he must be after you for something.” 

“Rolo hates me more than he does.” Lance jerked a hand toward Keith. “Just because we’re in the same situation, doesn’t mean we all get along. I haven’t even seen him in months. I can’t think of any possible reason why he would waste his time with me.”

“Regardless, you should be prepared. If there’s an ambush and you’re alone, you or Allura both could be hurt, or worse,” Shiro warned. “We want to ensure the safety of both of you, as well as capture Rolo like we originally set out to do. Please allow us to offer our services.”

“Like I said, Allura is Coran’s niece and it’s his decision. He wants you to help, then help. Just.. don’t act like we’re all friends.” Lance had thought they were, but he knew better now. 

Shiro nodded, though his expression was grim. “Then… we can make further plans when we get to Coran’s.” He turned to leave and gestured to his team to follow.

Keith fell into step with the others, but his footfalls stuttered as he neared the door. He turned, side stepping Pidge's arm shooting out after him and hurried back into the room. He set the pack still gripped in his hand at Shade's feet, eyes glued to his face. "This is yours. Keep it." His voice dropped, low enough to hopefully not be heard by the others. "If not for you, then for her." Keith hustled back to his team. If they had heard him, he prayed they assumed he meant Allura.

Lance’s eyes widened, shock replacing all the anger that had previously been written all over his face. Slowly, he reached down and picked the pack back up. Did that mean… Keith hadn’t told them about Narti? Or was it… another trick? No, none of them were stupid, and they had to know Lance wasn’t going so be fooled to easily again… There was no reason for Keith to make sure his team was gone before he said that… Unless… 

Coran took a step closer. “Shade? What is it?”

“N-nothing… Coran… It’s… nothing…” Still, he couldn’t help himself from watching the door close with a soft click.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... But you don't succeed...
> 
> Oh man! What a chapter lol what a lot of us have been nervously waiting for, am I right?
> 
> So first of all, I really want to thank all of you so very very much for the comments last week. Without fail, every single one wished me well and told me to take it easy and supported us in potentially switching to every other week updates. I can't tell you how touched I am. Many of you made me misty eyed and the love and support was unexpected. In case y'all were wondering, I was finally diagnosed with mono(go ahead and get your kissing disease jokes out lol) after three visits to urgent care, all with various misdiagnosis and wrong prescriptions/shot in the hip and a trip to the ENT and hospital to check my liver enzymes and make sure my spleen was alright since apparently that's something you gotta worry about with mono lol I am finally on the correct cocktail of drugs and doing my best to get better. Obviously, if you know anything about mono, it can take 6-8 weeks to get rid of and I'm on week 5ish so we're not out of the woods yet, but I'm at least coping better now. I apologize for any odd/longwinded/poorly written replies from the past week and into the future as the codeine I'm on makes me a little off lol and speaking of longwinded, this is more than y'all probably wanted to read from me haha so I'll shut up, but really and truly, thank you all so much for the incredibly kind words.
> 
> Thank you all for sticking with us. Next update is our longest yet I think, so it should make up for how this one ends XD 
> 
> <3 Holly
> 
>  
> 
> [EDIT: OH MY EVERLOVING GOD YALL THERE IS ART T.T I AM CRYING THANK YOU SO MUCH ISSY FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND KIND WORDS!!! (Psst it’s transparent, click it and reblog the hell out of it)](https://someonetheelusivefangirl.tumblr.com/post/170848383283/keiths-guide-to-confusing-an-unfortunates)


	9. Progress to Regress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We progress to regress, you and I, always beginning where we began. Hurrying forward just enough, so that our "back-sliding" will not lead to 'our' end. Wondering when will Love grow tired of our loveless game, of our disregard for the feelings that true love claims, of you and I and the same-old-same."  
> -Tony K. Brown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [AMAZING ARTWORK FOR THE LAST CHAPTER BY ISSY!!!](https://someonetheelusivefangirl.tumblr.com/post/170848383283/keiths-guide-to-confusing-an-unfortunates)
> 
> [AND ANOTHER FOR CHAPTER SIX!!](https://someonetheelusivefangirl.tumblr.com/post/170887535838/lies-priorities-and-sacrifice-another-quote)

The trek from Allura’s to Coran’s was not exceptionally far. The six of them traveled together, and Keith couldn’t really say that it didn’t make sense, but he could have really used a breather. He could feel the fleeting glances of his team, the distrust of Shade and Coran. He could feel the overall displeasure, thick like fog.

He knew he had fucked up. This was his fault, and he didn’t know the first thing to do to fix it. The inside of his cheek was angry and swollen from worrying it as they walked. He had finally taken Pidge and Shiro’s talking ban to heart, and followed at the tail end of the group, mouth sealed tight. Every now and again Shiro would check behind him to make sure he was still there, but Keith never took his eyes off the back of Shade’s head.

When they finally reached Coran’s, Pidge and Hunk followed Coran and Shade through the door, but upon realizing that Keith had stopped walking, Shiro came to a stop.

“Keith?”

“Just, uh… I’ll be in in a minute.”

Shiro gave him a critical look, but he eventually nodded and followed after the others. Keith removed his pack, setting it gently on the ground. A sigh escaped his tightly wound body, and he plopped onto the ground, rolling himself until he was flat on his back.

This was not helpful. He realized this, but fuck logic, he needed a second. He tried to even his breathing. He’d have to collect himself and join his team in a moment, but he could allow himself this, if only for a second or two. He pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes until the stars behind his lids matched the ones overhead. The ground at his back was cold, sending a slight shiver down his spine. In the comforting silence, Keith pulled himself together, rising slowly. He picked up his pack, like his limbs, seeming so much heavier than just a few hours ago, and he opened the door into Coran’s home.

One look at Shade sitting on the floor of the main room, and Keith desperately wished he could be back outside, but Shiro would have dragged his ass in anyway, so here he was. He sat as far away from Shade as the room would allow. The least he could do was give him some space after all. He half listened to what Pidge was saying, absentmindedly watching Shade.

A frown began to pull at the edges of his mouth. Keith knew himself, despite what Pidge liked to tease. He didn’t just let people in, yet it was like he’d propped open a door for Shade to just waltz on through. He didn’t buy people things for the sole purpose of seeing them happy or invite near strangers into his tent to make sure they were safe and comfortable. If someone wasn’t taking care of themselves properly, it was no concern of his… until he’d met Shade. 

Keith stopped berating himself long enough to make a decision. He was going to find a way to make this right. Even if Shade never wanted to speak to him again, he at least needed to make him understand that the last thing he had wanted to do was hurt him.

….

Lance was furious. Not only had he let himself be tricked so easily, he actually had started to really like the hunters. The worst part was, even now, after the lie had been revealed, Lance was still stuck with them. He was stuck with Hunk and his shy smiles and jokes. He was stuck with Pidge and her sass and sharp comments. He was stuck with Shiro and his soothing voice and calm nature… Worst of all, he was stuck with Keith and his stupid pretty distracting eyes. 

He kept his eyes on the wall directly in front of him. He ignored Slade moving at the edge of his vision, pretended not to hear Hunk and Pidge call his name, avoided even looking at Shiro and tried not to sneak confused glances at Keith. God, he was an idiot. He should have known. Thinking back, Keith did change his opinion pretty quickly. He’d gone from suspicious and rude to almost overbearing with his kindness, then he’d actually seemed interested when Lance would talk. Of course it was just a trick, he could see that clearly now. He curled his hands tighter, and squeezed his eyes shut.

The thing was, Lance wasn’t actually mad at the team, not even Keith. They’d lied, yeah, but everyone lied to him. They’d pretended to care to learn what they wanted to know. It was a dirty way of doing things, but it worked. Lance wasn’t a child, he understood that. Lance was angry at himself. He knew that everything was only temporary, but he’d let himself believe them. Believed Shiro when he’d said they would pay Lance. Believed Keith all those times he’d said they were equals. Believed that if he’d asked, Hunk and Pidge would have taught him how to make the gun he’d been planning on and off for years. He’d actually believed he was part of their team. And what did he have to show for it? Nothing. Nothing except a handful of kind memories that were tainted with the word lies. 

Then, there was Narti, his little Shroud. She was really all Lance had, and Keith knew about her. Which really only made Lance madder at himself. He should have insisted harder that he go into Kassis alone. He knew she would find him, she always found him. He wasn’t ashamed of her, no, he loved her just like he would a blood sister, but, he wasn’t stupid either. If Keith mentioned her, then that was it. Lance would do a lot for Allura, do more for Coran, but Narti? Lance would burn the world if he had to. But, as far as Lance could tell, Keith hadn’t breathed a word about her, and Lance could not figure out why. He was missing something about this whole thing.

It was just too much. All he wanted to do was disappear and never come back to this stupid city. Wait, for Slav to arrive, take Narti and settle up north. But, as hurt and angry as Lance was, he couldn’t just abandon Allura. It didn’t matter that Allura was more than capable of taking care of herself. She was in trouble and Lance was not the type of person to leave someone like that. There was the matter of Rolo too. He’d crossed a line, messed with one of the few people Lance actually cared about. He couldn’t just let it lie. 

So, Lance would swallow his hurt, but not the anger, and work with the hunters one last time, to find Allura. Then Lance was going to show Rolo, exactly what happened to people that crossed him. After that, he was done, and he was going to make sure he _ never _ let anyone else in close like that again. 

….

Despite everyone staying with Coran until Allura was found, Lance still spent the entire night out looking for the man. He’d made sure to leave after everyone else was asleep. While he didn’t find Rolo, he found someone almost as good - Nyma. So Lance hovered around at Coran’s breakfast table, with a plan to make sure that Nyma told them all exactly where Rolo was. He was done playing around. 

He managed to wait until everyone was sitting before he announced it. “I know how to find Rolo.”

Shiro coughed into his coffee, Hunk and Pidge stared and Keith looked ready to speak so Lance kept going. 

“Rolo doesn’t have friends. We’re alike that way. What he does have is Nyma, and she is probably the only person he cares about other than himself. I know where she’s hiding, and I’m going to spend the rest of today, and maybe tomorrow making sure that when you all show up, she will tell you exactly where he is. So, don’t expect to see me.” Satisfied, he straightened, ready to head out and start immediately. 

“But -- Shade, how are you going to do that?” Hunk’s question was hesitant.

“That doesn’t matter.” He stated firmly, determined not to answer. “After a while, you two,” a gesture to Shiro and Keith. “Should go in and drag her out. Be as harsh and mean as you like, she’ll talk.” 

“I don’t like you going out alone.” Shiro started. “Especially if Pidge is right and Rolo is actually after you.” 

“I am always right. Normally, I would say go on and do what you have to, but, this time… it might be better to have some kind of backup.” Pidge raised her hand, adjusting her glasses slightly.

“I have to agree, it is simply not safe.” Coran added, a frown on his face.

“Well, that’s just too bad. I don’t really care if I’m safe or not.” Lance’s tone was cold and flat. He was not going to fall for the same trick twice. This was the best and fastest way to get to Rolo, and Lance was going to do it no matter what.

“You may not care if you’re safe, but-” Keith froze as everyone turned, all eyes now on him. What was he going to follow that up with, an ‘ _ I care, Shade’ _ ? He couldn’t say that. He might mean it, but Shade wasn’t going to believe it anyway. “If something happens to you, Allura is out of luck.” Keith softened his voice as much as he could, trying for all the world to forget everyone looking at him. All but one that is. “We… we need you… in one piece.”

_ Damnit! _ Lance hated to admit it, he really hated it but Keith had a point. Allura was counting on them. “Fine. One of you can tag along, but don’t interrupt me and don’t draw a lot of attention.” He crossed his arms and scowled. 

Shiro looked relieved, “I’ll go then.”

“Um… I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. I mean… no offense, but you kind of stand out, Shiro. With your arm and all…” Hunk covered his nerves by taking a drink. “And… I don’t think I’d be very good at waiting quietly without getting nervous.”

Lance did not like where this was heading and he immediately started to shake his head. 

“Sorry, but I’m going to look into a few things. I’m trying to track and see if I can figure out who hired Rolo in the first place.” Pidge stated firmly. “Looks like you are stuck with Keith.” Pidge shot Keith a warning look, but nodded at her own statement.

Keith didn’t know whether to hug Pidge or strangle her. He chewed the inside of his cheek and waited, eyes staring straight ahead. He was braced for Shade’s rebuttal, that Keith was the last person he wanted to have to be anywhere near.

Lance clenched his jaw, his lips a thin unhappy line. If it made them leave him alone about it, then fine. This was about Allura. All he had to do was focus on finding her. If he was lucky, he could just ignore Keith the entire time. “Fine.” Lance bit out. “Then let's get this over with.”

….

Lance kept his head down as they walked. Nyma’s little hiding place was one of the empty houses in the far southern part of the city. There were only a handful, ten at the most, abandoned little houses that had not been made terribly well, and were generally avoided by most of the normal people, which made them perfect for unfortunates to use. 

Lance hadn’t actually used them himself, preferring to sleep in the complete darkness of Coran’s Sanctuary, or to just avoid the city altogether. But, it suited his purpose. No one would come running to investigate, at least…

The steps passed in silence as they traveled. Keith fidgeted with a loose piece of his shredded shirt, Shade’s mark zigzagging all over it. He felt sick. He had never meant for it to go so far, to have let his lie run like he had. He itched with the need to talk to Shade, but he wasn’t sure what he could even say to make him understand that he had never meant to hurt him. As the minutes ticked by sluggishly, Keith stewed in his guilt. Shade had left his mark on more than just his shirt, and Keith couldn’t just leave things as they stood. “Shade?...”

Lance’s head snapped to the side, his eyes narrowed, but he bit back the immediate retort on the tip of his tongue. It might be important, it might help Allura. “What?” It came out a little harsher than Lance had intended, but he really couldn’t help it. He was still angry at himself, and there really wasn’t anywhere else for that anger to go.

Keith flinched. “I’m really sorry. I-” Keith stopped walking, turning towards Shade. Shade continued to keep their pace, Keith quickly falling behind. “H-hey!” Keith jogged to catch up, pulling Shade to a stop, eyes pleading. “I’m sorry, I messed up! It wasn’t fair to you or to the team, and I wish I hadn’t upset you, but I won’t say I regret it, because I don’t. It got you to travel with us, and that’s all I wanted from the beginning,” Keith blurted out. He caught his breath as he realized he’d been rambling. “But… I’m sorry that I lied, and I’m sorry that I hurt you…”

Lance really was an idiot. He almost believed Keith actually meant it. He shook his head several times. “You don’t have to tell me that. Like you said, you don’t regret it. You don’t… have to pretend, Keith. I’m not even mad at you.” 

“You should be!” Keith blanched at his own outburst. He took a steadying breath and tried again. “I don’t regret that you became a part of our team, or that I got to know you, that you opened my eyes to so much. As much as I hate you being upset with me, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat… And I’m not pretending…”

“I want to believe you...” Lance finally stated, eyes still fixed on the ground. “And that is part of the problem. If I’m stupid enough to still consider believing you after everything, then I’ve obviously let my guard down too far. Like, I said, I’m not angry at you. You did what everyone does. I’m angry at myself, because I believed you.” He shook his head again, mouth turned down. “Obviously, words don’t mean much….”

All of Keith’s arguments caught in his throat. He felt his eyes burning and chest aching. “I’m such an idiot,” he murmured to himself, the fight leaving him completely. Shade didn’t deserve to be lied to, and he didn’t deserve to have to deal with Keith begging for forgiveness. Keith had done nothing to deserve getting to keep his fragile budding friendship with Shade.

Lance finally raised his eyes at the long silence. Keith was still there, and for a second he looked almost shattered. Lance didn’t understand why though. They’d probably forget about him after a couple of days anyway. Still… He’d seen a lot of people with that look, some right before they did something extremely stupid. Uncomfortable, he shifted, dropping his weight from one foot to the other. God, he was such a damn idiot. “This is probably going to sound extremely weird and awkward but… are you… alright?”

Keith finally met Shade’s gaze. He shook his head, trying very hard not to visibly crumble in the middle of the road. He opened and closed his mouth several times. 

Lance tilted his head a bit, confused. Keith looked devastated, and that was not a look that was easily faked. There was something else, and Lance had no idea what it was. “Alright. Come on. This is getting us nowhere. So, let’s just… Go over there, out of the way, and sort this out.” It wasn’t going to do anyone any good, with Lance lashing out at everyone, and if Keith really was as upset as he looked, that wasn’t any good either.

Keith let Shade lead him out of the road. He slid down the side of a tree to slump on the ground. “I don’t know what to do,” he said quietly, staring at his knees. “I don’t know how to fix this. And I don’t know that I deserve for it to be fixed even if I could…”

Lance let himself lean against the side of a fence. His left eyebrow raised up high, as he stared down at Keith. “I’m not sure… no… wait.” He shook his head, and started over. “Why is it so important that you fix it? Obviously, you made up that story for a reason.” 

Keith put his head in his hands. “I just wanted to know you, and now I do and I don’t want to lose you.”

Lance’s mouth fell open.  _ He what? _ “Wait… you made up that story… so you could get to know me? That… doesn’t make much sense to me. You didn’t even like me.” He was stuck on that thought. He hadn’t even let himself process the last bit yet.

Keith buried his face into his arms, he didn’t need Shade to see the color in his cheeks. “I just… I couldn’t wrap my brain around you. I’ve never met someone like you, and not just an unfortunate, just in general… I don’t know, I just knew I needed more time…”

Lance… really wasn’t sure what to say. He wasn’t that special. He turned his head, teeth biting into his lip. “I don’t… really get it, and… I’m not sure that I’m going to.” He took a deep breath, and slowly let it out. “But… I can’t say… I’m going to just… Believe everything you say… I’ve…” He just knew he was going to regret this, but one thing kept jumping out about this entire thing, and that was… that the one thing he had actually asked Keith to do, he’d done. “It’s not going to be easy like last time…”

Keith looked up at Shade. He didn’t deserve the chance that Shade was giving him, but he couldn’t fight the glimmer of hope digging its way into his chest. “W-why? I mean, you could be ignoring me, or yelling at me, and you’d have every right to…”

“Yes. Believe me, I’d love to do that. I really would. It’d probably make me feel better, but… I asked you to do something for me. Just, one thing. Lie or not, you did as I asked. You didn’t tell your team about Shroud… and that’s more important to me than the lie…”

Keith stood, slowly and unbalanced. He wanted to assure Shade that of course he would take his secret to his grave, but something nagged at him. He stood ramrod straight, finally meeting Shade’s eyes. “Yell at me.”

Lance’s eyes widened. “What?”

“If it’ll make you feel better, yell at me.” 

One hand came up and rubbed at his forehead. “You… want me to yell at you? That’s…” His mouth moved several times before he finally ducked his head, and he snickered. “That’s… so…  you, Keith. I’m not going to yell at you.” 

Keith sighed loudly. “I… I’m sorry, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to say it enough.”

Lance pushed off the building, straightening his stance. “Just… for now… make sure no one bothers me while I get Nyma to break… and… we’ll consider it a start…”

Keith nodded. It was more than he deserved or expected. “You’re a good man, Shade…”

Lance slowly let his head raise, shaking it just once. “After what I am going to do to Nyma, I won’t be….”

….

Lance had been in a lot of different situations, lived in a lot of weird places and nothing,  _ nothing  _ had ever felt more awkward to him, than walking silently next to Keith on the way to house Nyma was hiding in. 

There was a tension in the air, which Lance would freely admit was likely his fault. He wasn’t going to just believe what was said, but, he was at least, going to let Keith try. Which put him in an odd position. Just a few days ago, Lance might have started talking, or asked a question, but now… he was just.. Too wary. 

Keith could just hear Shiro chastising him, knew Pidge would be giving him a hard time for moping, which he definitely was not doing… He was just giving Shade his space.He had no right to badger him or expect things to go back to how it was before. And Hunk… actually, he really wouldn’t mind Hunk being there. Hunk would make things less… weird. He couldn’t stop stealing glances, but he couldn’t bring himself to break the silence.

Finally, Lance stopped, and raised an arm pointing at the closest shack. “She’s in there.” He cleared his throat a little, then forced himself to look over at Keith. “So.. I’m not.. Really comfortable telling you exactly what I’m going to do…. But, it will look like… I’m just going to be sitting here. Don’t worry about me, just make sure no one goes inside that house. I’m… counting on you….”

“Of course.” Keith nodded, checking their surroundings before meeting Shade’s gaze once more. “Just, whatever you’re doing… be safe?”

That was… fair. Lance nodded, just once. “I honestly will not move from this spot.” 

Keith hesitated. He bit at the inside of his cheek, knowing he may be crossing a line. He patted Shade on the shoulder before jogging around the side of the building to survey the area.

Lance flinched at the touch, like he always did, but once Keith had turned away, he let his left hand drift up, resting over his shoulder for a moment, a thoughtful frown on his face. Abruptly, he shook his head, and settled down in the shadow of one of the huts. He had a clear view of Nyma’s chosen house. 

Lance closed his eyes for a moment, feeling Slade brushing against him, then nodded. “Alright, Slade. Do what you have to.” 

When Keith returned from his scouting, he almost missed Shade sitting in the shadow. He was incredibly hard to spot, despite the brightness of the day. His eyes were open and fixed on the hut, Nyma was supposed to be hiding in. 

For a long while nothing seemed to change, Shade did not move an inch except to blink. Then the screaming started. It was high and came from Nyma’s shack. As Keith turned his head, there was a loud crash from inside, then another scream. A lamp, that was near the window abruptly went dark, another crash sounding immediately afterward. 

For most of the day, there were occasional screams and crashing sounding from the house, but no one even looked in that direction, except for Shade, who stayed completely still the entire time. At one point the front door was flung open, and Keith had a brief glimpse of Nyma, her hair a mess and tears streaming down her face before the door abruptly slammed closed again. 

As the sun started to set, the only sounds that could be heard from the shack were Nyma’s sobs, and the creaking of wood. The lamp was relit several times but was almost immediately extinguished. Once, and only once, during one of the rare moments that Keith could see when the lamp was alight, it appeared that there were the shadows of several people along the wall before the light went out and Nyma shrieked again. 

Finally, Shade blinked, almost flickering where he sat. He was pale, and his hands shook for just a moment before he curled them into fists. He took several slow breaths and finally raised his head to look at Keith. 

“You can… go get her now…” His voice was shaky and raspy, like he had been the one screaming all day. In truth, he looked a mess. 

Keith kneeled in front of Shade, peering into his eyes. “Are you alright? I don’t want to leave you if you aren’t.”

Lance shook his head. “I’m just.. Tired. I did a lot… Really. Go ahead.”

Keith looked him over quickly before he nodded and jogged over to the front of Nyma’s house. Before Keith could even contemplate trying to bust through the door, Nyma came bursting through, the door flying wide as she crashed straight into Keith’s arms. She was a blubbering mess, and if she recognized Keith, she didn’t show it. An unintelligible string of pleas for help poured from her as her fingers scrabbled for purchase in Keith’s shirt.

Keith did his best to sound genuine in his soothing as he ushered her down the street and back towards Coran’s. He glanced back to Shade’s hiding spot, hoping he had not been lying about being alright. He nodded once in the directions of the shadows. Nyma kept a tight grip on him, crying into his shirt the entire way back, and Keith wondered if Shade could see from how far back he was trailing them, if he found this entertaining, because if the roles were reversed, Keith knew he would. As it was, he grimaced as a particularly gross sounding sob wracked through Nyma.

By the time Keith was pushing Nyma through the door to Coran’s, she had thoroughly soaked the front of his shirt. It wasn’t until the moment she came face to face with Shiro that she seemed to realize her surroundings. 

She clung a little tighter to Keith’s shirt, tears still streaming down her face. “I-I.. I didn’t do anything!” Her voice rose with each word, the last one practically a wail.

Keith managed to pry her fingers from his shirt. He led her by the shoulders to sit in a nearby chair. He scowled down at her. “Now, you’re going to answer some questions for us. I suggest you cooperate, or you’re going to get to see firsthand what that arm is capable of,” Keith said, gesturing to Shiro’s arm. 

Nyma’s eyes flicked from the arm to the walls, back to the arm and then to Keith. “Did it send the ghosts? I… I don’t want to be haunted!”

Shiro stepped forward, eyeing Keith. “Ghosts?...”

“Yeah, that was him, so I’m only going to ask this once,” Keith growled. “Tell us where Rolo is, or he brings the ghosts back out.” Keith shrugged at Shiro, Nyma’s full, terrified attention on Shiro and his arm.

Nyma swallowed, before she burst into more tears. “Warehouse!” She flinched back into the chair, eyes darting all over the walls. “On… the docks.. Please! Please, I didn’t do anything! No more words and throwing things…” 

Keith stood up straight again. He looked to Shiro, scratching at the back of his head. Well, that was easier than he’d expected. “We’re, uh, going to let you go, but-” Keith leaned back down into her face again. “He’s sending one of his ghosts to follow you. If you go anywhere near the docks, you’ll see a haunting like you could not imagine… for life.” Keith looked up at Shiro, eyes questioning. This was not the type of interrogation tactics he was used to.

Shiro cleared his throat. “For life,” he repeated, brow furrowing.

Nyma’s wide eyes darted from one to the other before they abruptly latched onto something just over Shiro’s shoulder. Her mouth opened and a blood curdling shriek filled the air as she jerked backward, tipping her chair over and promptly hiding underneath the table. 

Keith stumbled back, stunned and gripping his ears. He turned just in time to catch Shade peeking through a window before ducking back out of sight. He helped Shiro pull Nyma from the floor and half carry, half drag her out the door. They watched for a minute or two as she tripped over herself, running as quick as she could away from them.

“Why do you always start with my arm,” Shiro asked, casting an unamused look in Keith’s direction.

“Because it’s effective. Clearly.” Keith turned to go back inside.

“What do they think it does?.... Ghosts now, apparently…” Shiro shut the door behind them and sat in Nyma’s abandoned spot.

“What was that, Shiro?” Pidge asked as she wandered into the room. Her head tilted, then she shook it several times. “Coran wants to know if you are killing someone in here.”

“Does a heart attack count,” Shiro deadpanned.

“Nyma gave us the information we wanted,” Keith said as he checked over his shoulder at the window he had seen Shade in earlier.

He was still there, back turned to the building. His head was facing the same direction that Nyma had run off in. Keith walked over and tapped twice on the glass, just loud enough to be heard.

Shade stayed still for just a moment, then nodded, satisfied that Nyma was long gone, before he finally came inside. He leaned against the doorframe, and crossed his arms. “So, hope that helped?”

“I don’t know what the hell you did to her, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so scared for their life,” Shiro said.

Keith nodded. “You did good.” His voice came out quieter than he’d meant, and he cleared his throat, watching Shade.

Shade nodded, then addressed Shiro without actually looking at him. “So, when are we leaving?”

“Everyone gather up what you need, we leave in five,” Shiro called, standing from his seat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello!!! It's been so long! Thank you all for being so patient with us! I am feeling much better and Linds and I will be able to start writing together again very soon(as soon as I finish a couple zine/exchange pieces), so we should be back to our regularly scheduled programming!
> 
> If you have not already, please check out the super cool transparent artwork that Issy made for this fic! They are amazing, and I love them so much! 
> 
> As always, thank you all so much for sticking with us and for all the lovely comments, especially those of you that encourage us week after week. Feel free to hit us up on tumblr, Holly=joinmeinthishell and Linds=collector-of-hats
> 
> <3Holly


	10. Hostage Situation

As they waited on Pidge, who was never actually ready for anything on time, Lance cleared his throat from just behind Shiro. “Coran gave me this. Here.” He shoved a cloth bag at Shiro, a telltale chinking sound coming from inside.

“Hopefully it can be handled without it coming to that.” Shiro gave a meaningful glance towards Keith sharpening multiple knives. “And either way, we’re taking him in, so Coran shouldn’t have to worry.”

Lance’s eyes flicked to the slowly growing stack of knives, then back to Shiro. “Coran worries. It’s what he does.” Lance’s head turned, and both arms came up in a shrug. “I don’t care what you do to Rolo. He’s an ass.” 

“Good.” Keith said as Shiro stowed away the bag. “Our methods are meant to be quick and effective, but are occasionally... questionable.” He shrugged, pocketing the last of his knives.

Again, Lance’s eyes flicked to him. “Effective… As, you say…” He turned then, taking a couple steps away. “So then… am I allowed to know what your grand plan is, or should I stand around?” 

“We can reassess if need be once we are there, but Hunk and Pidge will be watching the exits, I want them to keep them clear and ensure we don’t have anyone entering the building once we’re in. Keith and I will handle Rolo, and whichever of us is able to get to Allura first will get her out of there.”

“What about Shade,” Keith asked, still facing away from them. He was trying really hard to stick to his whole banned from talking, give Shade space thing, but…

Shiro looked from Keith back to Shade. “Well… with Rolo actively trying to get his hands on Shade… I don’t think it’s a good idea to walk straight into the trap we know is set for him.”

Lance’s eyes narrowed. They darted from Shiro to Keith, over to Hunk and back. “So…” His tone was soft. “What you are saying is, that you want me to stay here. Is that it?”

“I’m with Shiro…” Keith said, chancing a look in Shade’s direction. “It’s not safe for you.”

Surprisingly, Lance nodded. “I see… So then, if it was you in my position, you would of course, step back and let people you don’t trust handle something for you, right? Fine… fine… Just one question.”

“Uh…” Shiro glanced around the room uncomfortably. “Alright?...”

Lance crossed his arms. “How exactly do you plan to keep me here?”

Pidge stumbled into the room, shoving a handful of papers into her pockets. “I’m ready! …. Wait…” Her eyes darted to each face, then she sighed. “What now?”

“Oh.. um… Shiro and Keith… think Shade should stay here… and.. Um.. he wants to know how they are going to make him stay…” Hunk shifted. 

“Idiots… all of them...”

Keith’s fist smacked down onto the table, his head bent low enough to hide eyes. “It’s a trap meant for him! We can’t just let him run straight into it,” he growled out.

Pidge rolled her eyes. “Yes, that is very true, but, answer me this… where is the safest place you can think of?” 

Keith opened his mouth, his eyes snapping up to scowl at Pidge before he realized what she was getting at and snapped his mouth closed. He ground the knuckles of his fist into the table top while he considered her words. “I still don’t like it,” he muttered.

Pidge smirked, as she patted Keith’s arm. “Good thing you will be right there to make sure everything is fine then, isn’t it? Now, are we going or not?”

Hunk shook his head. “So…. new plan?”

Shiro sighed. “You two on exits still.” He pointed to Hunk and Pidge. “Keith and I will go in and locate Rolo, try to take him down as quickly as possible. Shade, let us clear a path for you, and then you get Allura out of there. Everyone good?”

Lance was pretty sure that was the best he was going to get. Still, he hummed, absently. From what he knew of Rolo, there was no chance that he would keep Allura anywhere but close to him. “I’m fine with focusing on Allura, she’s the important one here… but you all do know… There is no chance of him keeping her anywhere but close. Even if Coran did send anyone else, her safety would be the main goal..”

“That makes sense. I still think you should wait until Keith and I have him distracted first,” Shiro said as he slung a bag over his shoulder. “Now, let’s head out.”

….

The brick and glass building loomed just past the docks they were currently staked out in. Pidge had pointed out the two men leaning in the doorway to the warehouse. In hushed tones Shiro had gone back over the plan. Keith twirled a knife in his fingers absently as he listened, eyes never leaving Rolo’s goons. “Alright, Keith, you ready? Once we get passed that last boat, there’s not going to be much to keep us hidden, so get ready to sprint.”

“‘M ready,” Keith breathed, standing.

Like a synchronized dance, Keith and Shiro took off, steps in time with each other. The two men at the entrance were laughing and chatting, one lighting a pipe, eyes downturned. He never saw Shiro coming. His companion had just enough time to show the fear coursing through him as Keith came down hard. It was over so quickly, Keith almost felt bad. Almost.

They silently caught their breaths, making sure the two men were going to stay down. Shiro gave Keith a look, a silent nod returned, and quietly pushed the door to the warehouse open. Rows and rows of large crates filled the huge, open room. Rolo’s voice could be heard as soon as they had stepped inside, and Shiro motioned for Keith to head around one way, as he went the other.

“Ah, come on, smile! It’s not like you are going to be stuck in that chair with old Mike, forever. Coran will send the money and you’ll go home.” A low chuckle. “And I’ll be long gone. But, if you try to kick me one more time, I will shoot you.”

Keith could hear muffled curses coming from just beyond the row he was slinking down. He peered over the top of a smaller stack of crates. Allura was tied to a chair, a strip of fabric keeping her from talking. Keith could just make out the glint of Shiro’s arm from across the way, the signal to go.

Keith gripped the two knives in his hands tightly as he rounded the corner and ran headlong in Rolo’s thug’s direction. He took notice of the gun held casually in Rolo’s right hand, and adjusted to veer towards his left side. The thug was directly in front of him, and the second Keith was in the cleared out area, his eyes were on him. His shouts reverberated off the walls, and just as planned, Rolo’s attention was on him.

Shiro rushed out, catching the goon completely by surprise, and yanked him back a few feet, leaving Allura out of harm’s way for the moment. This guy was nearly a foot taller than the two they had taken out at the door, and Shiro could tell he had been in his fare share of fights. Shiro scrabbled with him, fists and feet flying. 

Lance had waited, fairly patiently until Rolo’s curses were easily heard. He didn’t even glance at Hunk or Pidge before he slipped into a shadow and appeared just behind Allura. He carefully moved close, holding a finger to his mouth when her eyes widened at him. For just a moment, he was thankful that he had forgotten to return the little knife Keith had given him because it made getting through the ropes much faster. 

Keith had managed a small cut on Rolo’s left arm as he had slid past him. It hadn’t been part of the plan, he just happened to be close enough while being the distraction. Rolo spun wildly, trying to get a lock on Keith, the gun in his hand shaking with anger and pain. Keith had expected Shiro to already have the other guy down by now, but he realized out of the corner of his eye that he was unfortunately holding his own. He winced as he heard a pop, the goon’s fist connecting with Shiro’s knee. Keith landed another shallow cut on Rolo’s leg, taking the moment to make sure Shiro was still able to move. When he saw that he was good, he came up quick and close from where he had been moving around Rolo’s legs.

He punched up with all his strength. Rolo, dazed, stumbled back, the gun falling from his hand as his nose started to bleed. Keith rushed him, laying him out on the concrete floor. Rolo reached for the gun, hands pushing at Keith’s face and legs kicking wildly. Shiro had the other guy in a headlock, but was struggling to get the angle needed for someone so tall. 

Keith pulled a small knife from his pocket, removing it from the sheath as carefully as he could with Rolo still struggling beneath him. He threw the knife as hard as he could, watching with satisfaction as the blade sunk into the man’s thigh. In a matter of seconds, the mild poison on the tip had taken effect and the man passed out. In the seconds it took him, Rolo had managed to catch his fingertips on the gun. Keith wasn’t quick enough, and Rolo managed to fire off a shot.

Keith brought a knife down on the arm holding the gun, and sent it skidding away when Rolo released it with a scream. Keith paid him no mind as he turned to call for Shiro. 

The breath caught in his throat and the words never came. There was Shade, in a pool of blood, looking down at his knee as he still managed to pull Allura free of the ropes. Rolo had stopped fighting, whimpering, and Keith barely registered Shiro coming to help hold him down before he clambered off of Rolo and ran to Shade.

Lance barely noticed Allura’s sharp gasp, or Keith running toward him, all he was completely aware of was the fire burning in his leg and the warmth that was pooling in his boot. He grit his teeth as he pushed Allura forcefully toward the door. “Go, Allura! Just go, I’ll be fine.” His knee buckled from the force of his push and he hissed as it hit the ground hard.

Keith crowded Shade’s space. His shaking hands were frantic as they tried to staunch some of the bleeding. It didn’t look like the bullet had hit bone, and if Shade was lucky, then it’d be a through-and-through or even just a bad graze. Keith gave a quick glance to see Hunk intercepting Allura at the door before locking eyes with Shade. His gaze looked fuzzy at best, never quite locking onto Keith as he moved. 

“Hunk!” Keith’s throat scratched with the force of his yell. “We need you over here!” He looked back at Shade and tried to pull his focus with a gentle hand on his cheek. He cursed himself when his fingers left a smear of blood in their wake. He pushed harder on the open wound. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, not even sure if Shade was hearing him.

Lance bit his lip, hard and his eyes landed on Rolo. Rolo balled up a fist and despite the awkward angle managed to connect with Shiro’s already injured knee, rolling free the second Shiro’s grip loosened and scrambling to his feet. Lance did not even think before he was pushing Keith to the side, the arm holding the little knife pulling back as he flung it as hard as he was able to. The knife sailed neatly through the air, landing square in the middle of Rolo’s shadow, embedded in the floor. Rolo froze, a curse falling from his mouth, as he tried to move to run but could not seem to move at all. 

Shiro and Keith had stilled, on baited breath, waiting for… something. A hush had fallen, putting Keith on edge after so much commotion. Shiro had hobbled slowly towards Rolo, stopping just in front of him and peering quizzically at him as he struggled to no avail. Keith looked from Shade to Rolo and back, questions dancing on the tip of his tongue, but Hunk had rushed to his side and was taking over. Keith pushed himself up off the bloodstained floor and joined Shiro.

Shiro held Rolo firmly, one hand gripping his shoulder while his mechanical hand was curled tightly around one of Rolo’s wrists. Keith was in the exact same position on the man’s opposite side. But, all of Rolo’s attention was on Shade, who was still crouched in the same place, but the hand that had thrown Keith’s knife was now wrapped around his knee, where Rolo’s shot had hit him. Hunk was still kneeling at his side, wrapping a bandage around the injury until he could treat it properly. 

“Damn you, Shade.” Rolo hissed as he shifted in the tight grip. “Why couldn’t you have just gone along with it? Me and Nyma had a real chance to be something else! We could have had something!” 

“For how long?” Shade’s tone was blank, and his eyes were fixed on the little knife still sticking out of the wooden floor. “How long until Nyma woke up again in a cold sweat thinking about Beema? How long, until you decided to start up another one of your get rich quick schemes? How long until you are right back where you started?”

“What does that matter? We wouldn’t be unfortunates anymore. It doesn’t matter for how long!” He glared up at Keith, then Shiro before he scowled at Shade. “Not everyone wants to stay a nothing like you.”

Shade shook his head, finally pulling away from Hunk and limping across the room and pulling the little knife free. “No one wants to stay as nothing, Rolo. But, no matter how many promises someone makes you… They’re all empty in the end. If you can’t change things on your own, then you shouldn’t waste your time. I learned that the hard way. Once you are an unfortunate, you will always be one.” He let the knife fall from his fingers, before he looked up to stare at Rolo. “I may be nothing… but, I would rather be that, than someone like you.” He turned and slowly started toward the door, where Pidge and Allura were waiting.

Rolo’s eyes narrowed, and he tried to pull free, looking surprised when he managed to move just a bit before Shiro and Keith held him in place. “In the end, the only one that will lose is you. You think these people will keep you safe? He’ll find you, and then, you’ll be the one worse than me.” 

Shade shook his head again. “Whoever he is, he can try. I know where I’m headed.” He didn’t even pause until he was limping past Allura, who said something, soft and quiet that made Pidge stare at her, before he shrugged, and stepped out of the warehouse. 

Rolo sneered at the group near the door. “You’re fools if you try and protect him. His days are numbered. And good riddance.”

Keith closed the gap, cocking his arm back and bringing his fist down on Rolo, a sickening crunch filling the room. Rolo’s head lolled to the side, and Keith straightened, pushing his hair from his face. “What an asshole,” he muttered as he turned and walked back out the door.

…..

_ Well, this was not good. _ Lance frowned as he curled his hands tightly. He’d managed to keep it together long enough for them all to get back to Coran’s, to watch Allura get folded into a tight embrace, before he’d finally noticed the shapes dancing before his eyes. He’d known, even after his day spent scaring Nyma, that he’d pushed himself a little too hard. But, he’d  _ had _ to be there to make sure Allura was alright. That was part of the reason he’d gone along with Shiro’s plan, because, he could handle a small jump, just to get him where he’d needed to be. He would have been perfectly fine, just in need of a very long nap. It was pinning Rolo in place that had pushed him too far. Lance didn’t often have to use that trick, and everytime he did, he always felt a little less like himself. Now, though, he could barely pay attention to whatever it was Shiro… or was that Coran… was saying.

It was actually Hunk, trying to get Shade to sit down so that he could look at his knee. Of the team, Hunk was the best at anything medicinal, and nobody, not even Keith, would dare try to get in his way. The problem was, that Hunk was actually a little worried to touch Shade. It wasn’t that he was scared of him, not really, but every time he reached out for the man’s shoulder or arm, Shade would fade, just a bit, before slowly returning to normal. Shade was just standing there, leaning heavily against the wall, while his eyes moved about, tracking nothing. 

Shiro was watching him with a worried look, while Pidge was nervously spouting theories to an equally nervous looking Allura. Keith was hovering, just out of Hunk’s way. Coran was on Shade’s other side, all his worry for Allura now transferred to Shade. After a long minute, Shade faded again, almost to the point where it was difficult to see him, before he abruptly seemed to snap back to himself. His eyes cleared, right before they rolled back in his head and he dropped like a stone. Coran caught him right before he hit the ground, adjusting Shade enough that he would not put too much pressure on his knee. The older man scowled, before looking up at the rest of the group.

Shiro put his hands up placatingly. “Look, Coran-”

“I can see quite clearly and I am not pleased. What happened?” Unlike all the times before, Coran’s voice was cool, and sharp. 

“Rolo had a gun,” Shiro explained. “We hadn’t anticipated him having a weapon like that. He managed to get off a single shot, and either he has impeccable aim, or he just got lucky, because Shade was only there for a second before…”

“He is correct, uncle.” Allura offered softly. “Shade was hit in the leg, but I do not believe it was due to anything other than luck on Rolo’s part.” Shiro gave a grateful look, eyes lingering for just a second longer before turning back to the conversation.

Coran shook his head. “I had anticipated that someone might come back injured but, I have never before seen a gunshot cause this.” 

“I don’t think it was the gunshot,” Keith said, more to himself than anything, but he tensed when all eyes set on him. “I mean, he wasn’t like-” Keith gestured to Shade. “That until he did that thing… where he froze Rolo… I think- I think he exhausted himself.”

“Exhausted himself? But… how? I mean, alright, the whole… freezing Rolo was definitely strange but, that couldn’t have been his first time doing that, if he knew exactly what to do.” Pidge stated from her little corner. “The only other thing he did was scare Nyma… That’s… not exactly strenuous…”

“It’s his… I don’t know, his powers or whatever,” Keith said, bordering on exasperated. “He used them to scare Nyma, and he used them to freeze Rolo, and… it was just too much, I guess…”

Coran sighed, but his tone was considerably warmer when he spoke again. “I suppose that is as good of a theory as any. Very well. I will look after him then.”

Keith straightened, brow furrowed and Shiro watched as he tried to find words. “Let us help you, Coran,” Shiro offered. “It’s the least we could do for not keeping him out of harm’s way in the first place.”

“I do not think that would be a wise decision.” Coran stated softly, dropping his eyes to look over Shade with a critical eye. He took a couple of moments to adjust his hold. “Given the recent… incident, I feel that it would be in his best interest for me to handle it with Allura’s assistance.”

“Please,” Keith begged, voice barely more than a whisper. “I never wanted to see him hurt, I didn’t even want him to go,” Keith choked out, eyes on Shade. “I just want to make sure he’s alright… and if he doesn’t want us around when he wakes up then…”

“We just want to help,” Shiro said when Keith fell silent.

“I can’t really help with the whole… exhausted thing, but I do know a lot about fixing injuries. Pidge blows herself up a lot and these two are always hurt. I can help.” Hunk added.

“Please, Coran. Let us help.” Pidge’s contribution was soft and small but just as heartfelt.

Coran adjusted his grip, holding Shade carefully. His mouth was turned downward, as he looked over the little group. He still didn’t know what they had done to make Shade react as he had, because Shade refused to speak of it. Still, he could not deny the genuine worry on their faces. He glanced at Allura, who shrugged, leaving the decision up to him. 

“Very well… I will allow you to assist me in watching over Shade, but only one at a time.” Coran kept his tone firm. He looked down, frown growing a bit as he watched Shade continue to flicker in and out. “Hunk, if you would be so kind as to set a basin of water to warm and gather some cloths. Pidge, please run down to the market and collect some willow bark, thyme and rosemary leaves. Allura, kindly collect the little red jar from the table in my room. The one I used during your last illness.” 

Hunk and Pidge glanced at each other before running to complete their tasks, while Allura simply stood, and swept out of the room silently. Coran nodded, approvingly before turning to Shiro. “I would appreciate it if you would move one of the chairs from your room into the one next to mine, so that we have a place to sit as we watch over him, also, Keith, kindly fetch a blanket from the closet in the hallway. He is burning, but he will be quite cold later.” 

Keith was gone the minute Coran finished talking but Shiro lingered. “Do you want me to carry him?”

“There is no need.” Coran shifted and slowly got to his feet, holding Shade carefully. “This boy hardly weighs a thing.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT HOW ABOUT THAT SEASON 5?!!! No spoilers in the comments please, just in case we have readers not caught up. But PLEASE FEEL FREE TO YELL AT ME ON TUMBLR BECAUSE OH MY GOD!!!
> 
> This chapter is a pretty wild ride. Fight scenes are always a lot of fun for me, hopefully you can tell whats happening XD and that punch tho ;) I couldn't help myself lol
> 
> Anyway, thank you as always for the kind words and for sticking with us. You guys have been so amazing, I can't even wrap my head around it. Thank you.
> 
> <3 Holly
> 
> PS: Linds may or may not be posting next week's chapter for me, because it's gonna be a crazy weekend for me, but with recent health issues I didn't want anyone to worry. I'll still be around enough to respond to comments though :3


	11. In Visions Softly Creeping

Coran insisted on sitting with Shade for the entire night, to insure his fever was under control. It wasn’t until just after breakfast, that Coran appeared, basin in his hands, as he slowly crossed toward the kitchen area. 

“How is he?” Keith was halfway out of his chair by the time Coran fully entered the room. 

“Ah, he is better now. The fever has gone down, but I do not expect that he will wake up completely for a while.” He continued into the kitchen, disposing of the used water and adding some fresh to the basin. 

“But, he did wake up?” Hunk asked, toying with a bit of a roll. 

Coran shook his head, and he set a couple more pieces of the bark in the water before adding a couple leaves and a bit of root, letting it sit as he explained. “Not entirely. He muttered a great deal, most of it incomprehensible, and I did manage to get him to drink a little bit of water, but I do not feel he was actually conscious.”

Pidge shoved their plate away, leaning their arms on the table before bluntly asking. “And is he still doing that creepy… fading thing?”

“Pidge.” Shiro started, but Coran waved a hand at him. 

“Unfortunately, he’s still not himself in that aspect, however, it is not as frequent as it was previously.” Coran sniffed, then started carefully removing the things from the water. “Once I have this ready, I must go out for a while. I need to check in at the Sanctuary. Which one of you will be sitting with Shade while I am gone?”

Keith immediately opened his mouth and was just beaten out by Pidge. 

“I am. I want to talk to Allura later about a couple of possible places to check in to that might help us find whomever it is that hired Rolo, so I’ll go first.”

Keith slumped back into his chair, ignoring the knowing look from Shiro. 

“Very well, come with me then, and I will tell you what I wish for you to do while you are there.”

 

….

 

Pidge set out a little sigh as the door finally closed behind Coran. She finally turned her full attention to the man lying on the bed. Shade was still, a blanket pulled up and covering his chest. As she watched, he wavered, like the flame on a candle, but otherwise did not move at all. Pidge didn’t like it. 

She settled in the chair, absently smoothing the blanket a little. Pidge didn’t like seeing such a rift in her team, and that included Shade. As far as Pidge was concerned, Shade had been a full team member since they all met back up in Krell. Agreement with Keith or not, he didn’t have to explain so many things to them. He could have simply quietly done what was asked without trying to find common ground. 

Shade shifted in the bed, drawing her full attention. She stood, tugging the blanket just a bit higher over him when she heard a soft mumble. Curious, she leaned in a little bit closer. 

“...in the city…”

_ City? _ Pidge frowned. She shrugged, and started to settle more into the chair. Coran had said that Shade had been muttering a lot. It was most likely due to the fever he’d had. What Pidge couldn’t figure out was why Shade was so ill, or why he kept fading in and out, almost like he wasn’t really there at all. Keith’s exhaustion theory just… didn’t seem to fit exactly right.

“I can’t… hear you…here… not here…”

Pidge’s head snapped over to stare at Shade again, eyes wide as he continued to speak to no one at all. His eyes were still closed, but they were shifting under his eyelids, like they were tracking something she couldn’t see. His face twitched a couple of times, before it smoothed out again, and he was back to mumbling. 

“I can’t stay… no place for me there…” Shade shifted. “City of shadows… no light… only visit.”

“Shade?” Pidge shifted a little closer, reaching out to lightly touch his arm. 

Finally, his eyes opened just a little. They were glassy, and unfocused. They moved across the ceiling, down the wall, and passed over Pidge like she wasn’t even there. “You… can’t stay there… it’s not safe for you…” Shade’s eyes closed again, and he shivered. 

Pidge blinked, then a creak had her head spinning toward the door. Allura poked her head into the room, then carefully came in, taking care to be quiet.

“How is he?” 

“I… don’t know…”

Allura sighed, briefly resting a hand on Shade’s forehead. “At least it appears his fever has gone down.” She took a small step backward, before offering Pidge a wan smile. “I was told by Hunk, I believe his name was, that you wished to speak with me?”

“Oh, yes, I did... Just, let me get someone else to sit with him and we can talk.” Pidge, darted up, pausing at the door for one last glance at Shade before she raced down the hallway looking for Shiro. 

 

….

 

Shiro settled into the chair with a soft groan. His knee ached a bit from where that thug had hit it the night before. He wasn’t as young as he used to be, not that Shiro was going to admit that out loud in anyway except jokingly. It was his job to make sure the others didn’t do anything stupid, after all. Pidge was easily distracted by mechanics and theories, and would willingly wander almost anywhere to chase down information, while Keith would barrel ahead with little to no direction at all. Hunk was the only one he didn’t have to worry about, unless one of his team was hurt… or worse if  _ Pidge  _ was hurt. Then, Hunk was worse than all of them combined.  

And now, there was Shade.

He seemed just as inclined to dive in like Keith, but Shiro was starting to realize that Shade always had a plan. Sometimes they weren’t exactly good plans, but he always had one. Shiro supposed it came from being on his own for so long. 

Shiro rested the back of his normal hand lightly on Shade’s forehead, looking displeased with the warmth there, before he stood, and made his way to the window, opening it just enough to let in some of the cool morning air. He idly watched the people milling about on the street, thinking about how long Shade will be able to keep going on his own.

“I wonder how long until it all crashes down around you?”

“You know… I can’t hear you when I’m here...”

Shiro spun to face the bed, eyes fixed on the man lying there. He was still lying on his back, blanket pulled up over his arms. But his eyes were open, staring at Shiro’s shadow on the wall. Shiro took a few steps closer, even leaned over him to see his face better but Shade’s unfocused eyes never moved from the shadow on the wall. 

“Shade?”

Shiro reached a hand out, to check Shade’s forehead again but before the hand could make contact he was speaking again, softly. 

“I’m sorry… I know what you want to say… even if I can’t hear you… But… I have to go back.”

Confused, Shiro watched Shade’s face, then turned to stare at his own shadow, before he let his hand drop to a thin shoulder. “Shh. Rest now.”

For a while everything was quiet. Shade’s eyes were partially open watching Shiro’s shadow move with him, as he dipped the cloth in the odd smelling water and wrung it out before laying it over Shade’s forehead. 

“I know the tunnels are small… dark and hard to breathe… I can stay there though…” 

Shiro settled on the chair, unsure who Shade was talking to, or even what he was talking about. But he wasn’t moving much, his eyes were again closed, and his words were slurred. He didn’t react no matter how Shiro touched him or called his name. So he decided to simply wait and tell Coran when he returned. At least, Shade wasn’t fading in and out anymore.

For almost an hour things stayed the same, Shade occasionally mumbling to the wall about poisoned air, and people crammed into a tiny room. Whatever it was he was talking about, Shiro didn’t like it. He found his hands curling into fists as he sat and listened to Shade explain he’d survived it once, he could do it again. His teeth clenched together, when Shade muttered about rocks and how they cut his hands until they bled, and cold air stealing his breath. 

It wasn’t until Shiro moved to change the cloth again that he finally figured out what Shade was talking about. 

“No. I won’t stay here… not wanted… The mine is better…” 

The cloth slipped from Shiro’s fingers back into the basin of water.  _ The mines? _ All this time, Shade had been talking about the coal mines? The poison gas and cold air... The sharp rocks and small tunnels… And Shade had told them all just a couple days ago that he was going back there permanently? 

_ No. _ Shiro couldn’t let that happen. It may have been a rocky start, and Shade may have only really been around for a week, but Shiro did not want him to go back there, not to such a dangerous place… and for what? Keith had told him that Shade made only a shilling a day working there. He curled his hands a little bit tighter, the whirling sound of his arm loud in the silence of the room. 

“Shiro?”

Shiro jumped, half falling out of the chair as he spun to face Hunk. It took every ounce of control to keep his face as neutral as possible. 

“What is it?”

Hunk came into the room, and offered a wan smile. “Actually… it’s Keith. He’s prowling around downstairs and I’m honestly not sure how much longer I can keep him from bursting in here. He’s… really worried. And… once he’s in here, I don’t know how we’ll get him out.”

Shiro sighed, and glanced back at Shade. “I’ll go down then, take him out for some training.” Which was probably a good idea, Shiro really wanted to hit something. “When Coran gets back, we’re having a team meeting.” They were going to fix this.

“Alright. I’ll sit with Shade, until you two get back. Pidge went with Allura back to her house to look over a few things. She said she’ll be here by dinner. Coran isn’t back yet, but I did make us some lunch… just.. Eat before you and Keith leave.”

Shiro nodded, resting a hand on Hunk’s shoulder. “Thank you, Hunk. I promise we’ll eat, and when we get back, I’ll send Keith up. We’ll have our meeting after dinner.” He strode out of the room, pausing just outside the door, with a scowl on his face. He barely resisted the urge to slam his fist into the wall. 

 

….

 

Unlike everyone else, Hunk chattered the entire time he was there. He mentioned foods he planned to make for Shade once he was feeling better as he checked the bandages around his knee. Told him about some of the team’s adventures, and happily rambled about some of their secrets, hoping that if he talked enough, Shade would wake up and talk back. 

It wasn’t until Hunk shivered from the breeze coming from the open window that he paused his anxious chatter. “Oh, I’m so sorry Shade. I didn’t realize how cool it was today! You’ve got to be cold.” He got up and went to close the window but a whisper stopped him. 

“This isn’t cold…” 

Hunk froze in his tracks, one hand resting on the window. “What?” He hastily closed the window and hurried back to the chair. “Did you say something?”

Shade actually turned, eyes open before he blinked blearily at Hunk. “I’m… not cold.”

Hunk frowned, checking Shade’s forehead and looking worried when it was once again, hot. He scrambled to tuck the blanket a little closer, and to change the cool compress on his head, but while he was doing that Shade was talking, absently rambling much like Hunk did when he was worried. 

“Cold is… spending a winter in a mountain cave... Months of… snow and ice, as far as you can see… The wind cuts you… like a knife in the dark… you get so cold… you can’t even feel it anymore... The snow feels warm when you eat it… and it takes you a while to remember… to move your fingers… The sun is bright… on the snow… no shadows… but not warm… the only warmth is… in your mind…”

Hunk sniffed, hands shaking a bit as he settled the cloth back onto Shade’s head. Hunk was from the north, he knew how cold it could get, high in the mountains. But what Shade described, Hunk couldn’t understand. He’d always had a warm hearth to curl up next to, and family to cuddle with. He couldn’t wrap his mind around being that cold. 

He looked down, but Shade’s eyes were closed again, and his breathing was even. Still, Hunk swallowed, pulled his canteen off his hip, and took a large drink before launching into another story. If nothing else, he was going to be a friendly voice, so Shade knew he wasn’t alone. 

 

….

 

When Keith opened the door, quietly, all of Shiro’s warnings ringing in his ears, it was to Hunk, with his head on the side of the bed, talking about a time the team had been lost in a swamp, and how Shiro’s arm had gotten mud in all the gears and Pidge had to spend three days cleaning it out. He couldn’t help but smile a bit at the memory, before clearing his throat slightly. 

“Oh, hi Keith.” Hunk’s voice was a little raspy and he looked nervous. “Sorry… I just…”

“It’s fine, Hunk. I’m here to take my turn.” 

Hunk stood, stretching his back until it cracked, before he slowly turned away from the still figure on the bed. “Um… he hasn’t really moved at all for at least an hour, but.. He was kind of talking before that… I just.. Didn’t want him to think he was alone.” 

Keith frowned briefly, but patted Hunk’s arm all the same. “That’s a nice idea.” 

Abruptly, Hunk shuffled his feet, and headed for the door. “Yeah. I’ll.. see you at dinner.”

Keith watched, a little confused as Hunk hurried out the door. He couldn’t figure out why Hunk was acting so hesitant all of a sudden. But the moment the door closed behind Hunk, all of Keith’s attention was on Shade. He looked so thin, lying there, so still in the bed. His face, which was usually so expressive, when he wasn’t actively keeping himself distant, was still, almost like the water of a pond. 

Keith cleared his throat as he realized how long he’d just been sitting and watching Shade. He checked over his shoulder to make sure they were still alone. He thought about what Hunk had said, about not letting Shade feel alone. He bit at the inside of his cheek and leaned forward to push some of the hair away from Shade’s face, but it seemed so intimate. The aborted movement left his hand placed gently over Shade’s wrist. Keith sighed heavily. This wasn’t any less weird he reasoned.

A shadow seemed to move, drifting along the wall and closer to the bed. Keith was almost positive he was imagining it, but it seemed to move and shift, eventually merging with the bed’s until Keith couldn’t tell it apart anymore. 

“I… remember…” Slowly, Shade’s eyes opened, unfocused and empty, and his head turned, away from Keith, to stare at the bed’s shadow. “My uncle’s voice…. Taking him away… better for us all… less mouths to feed…” Shade’s form wavered, but his wrist was still solid under Keith’s hand. 

“I remember…  his smile… the laugh as he cut them open…  blood dripping from the dagger… how he called my name… the last to use it, in so long…. He hunted me… set the house on fire…. To lure me out…. Wanted coins… said if I wouldn’t come… he’d make sure I died too….” 

Shade’s words were soft, so quiet that Keith had to strain to hear them. His hand that was curled around Shade’s wrist tightened just a bit, but Shade didn’t seem aware that Keith was even there. 

“The fire was hot… it burned but… I couldn’t leave… Slade… saved me..” Shade’s free hand slowly reached out for the shadows, almost blending in with them when he finally touched the wall. “It saved me… and… I still don’t know why…” 

Keith slid his hand down to lace it into Shade’s. His thumb rubbed quick little circles across the back of Shade’s hand as Keith tried to soothe him. His free hand patted Shade’s arm. His mind was reeling and he wanted nothing more than to wipe clean all the vile memories plaguing Shade, but Keith was not skilled at this sort of thing. He imagined Hunk or Shiro knowing just what to say, knowing exactly how to comfort Shade. Keith gripped his hand a little tighter and hoped Shade understood the sentiment.

His arm was numb and his shoulder stiff by the time Coran came in. He hadn’t wanted to leave, said he was fine to take another shift, but Coran had all but picked him up and removed him from the room. Keith reluctantly left, clenching and stretching his still tingling hand.

 

….

 

The rest of the house was quiet. Keith was almost surprised when he shuffled into the main room to see his team, having wondered if they’d stepped out or were sleeping. Keith joined 

Shiro at the table, his muscles protesting as he let himself sit. Keith let the silence wrap around him until he couldn’t bare it any more. 

“I… I can’t even begin to understand what he’s been through…”

“D-did.. He talk to you too?” Hunk asked, quietly, hand curled around Pidge’s, something that would usually cause protesting but Pidge was eerily silent.

Keith nodded. He rest his head on his arms, borrowing his face away from where the others might notice how wet his eyes were.

“About the mines,” Shiro asked. “I just can’t- for so little- how did he do it?” His face was lined with sadness and frustration as he shook his head.

Pidge shared a look with Hunk before they both shook their heads. “Um… no? He…” Pidge’s nose wrinkled. “He didn’t actually talk to me, more like, around me? He kept talking about a city.”

Keith peeked out of his hiding. “City?... What like Arus?”

“I don’t think so. He said he couldn’t stay there. It was only safe to visit. It was kind of hard to understand. He said it was made of shadows, I think…”

Keith frowned, sitting up a little straighter. Shiro hearing about the mines made sense, Shade hadn’t been back all that long, it was probably still fresh in his mind. He was still trying to understand everything he had heard himself, but were all of these things part of Shade’s past? Keith felt sick. He could feel Shiro’s eyes on him, and he returned the look with pleading eyes. He didn’t know what to do with any of this information. Didn’t know how to help Shade. He gripped the sides of his head, knuckles white.

Hunk sighed. “He told me, and by that, I mean he kind of looked at me and rambled that he spent a winter in a cave. He told me that, he got so cold he… couldn’t feel it anymore… that the snow was warm, when he ate it. I’m from the north, cold up there is different than it is here. But I… don’t really know what that feels like…” Hunk shifted, uncomfortable.

“What did he tell you, Shiro?” Pidge asked, eyes wide. “I asked him about the mines before and he wouldn’t tell me a thing.”

“The, uh, tunnels…” Shiro said, staring through the table. “How dark and small they were, dangerous, how the rocks cut into his hands… God, and for only a shilling a day.”

Pidge almost fell out of her chair. “What?” She shook off Hunk’s supporting hold and slammed her hands down. “Why would anyone do that for a shilling?”

“They fed him too,” Keith muttered. “Apparently that’s considered pretty good for unfortunates… he thought it was worth it…”

Hunk looked about two seconds from crying, while Pidge’s mouth opened and closed several times, before she dropped into her chair with a huff. “No wonder he wouldn’t tell me about it… Wait…” Her eyes narrowed at Keith. “What else did he tell you?”

Keith’s brain was struggling to put all the pieces together. “Oh no,” he said absentmindedly. “He told me that before. By the river. Didn’t say too much else, though. Well, that the food was gross.”

“So, then what has you so upset, you already knew about the mines… What did he say in there?”

Keith flinched. Fuck. What he had heard was the stuff of nightmares. And with Shade only barely lucid, he wasn’t sure if he wanted anyone to know these things. The mines were awful, and freezing in a cave all winter was breaking Keith’s heart, but the things Shade had said while Keith was in there… they weren’t his to share. “Uh, it was really jumbled… I think it was about his childhood, but I’m not really sure… I just know that it was… really bad.” Keith had to fight with his voice to keep it from wavering too much.

Pidge shared a look with Shiro, before fixing her eyes on Keith again. “Mine was jumbled too… But, I’m not entirely sure mine was anything more than a fever dream. Maybe… yours was too. Just, say what you can remember.”

Remember… Shade had said he remembered. Keith wanted desperately to convince himself that Pidge was right, but he knew the things Shade had described were no fever dream. He opened his mouth, but couldn’t possibly find the words. He shook his head, letting it tip forward to hide the tears threatening to fall. “I… really don’t think it was…”

Hunk rubbed at his nose, sniffing a couple of times. “But…” He shook his head then. “That isn’t why you called a meeting.” He cleared his throat, then blew his nose. “So… What did you want to talk about, Shiro?”

Shiro huffed a heavy sign, scratching the tips of his fingers through his hair. “I don’t want him to go back to the mines.”

Keith wiped furiously at his face, looking up at Shiro. “I want so badly for him to stay with us, but… I don’t know if he’ll even speak to me again now that Allura is safe.”

Pidge groaned. “So you didn’t apologize yet? I was sure you would as soon as I sent you two off together….” 

Keith shot her a look, but it was hard to maintain when he was so drained. He rubbed at his face. “I apologized… I just… I think he’s seen a lot of disloyalty in his life-” Keith knew he had. “And if I was in his place, I wouldn’t give me a second chance either.”

Pidge sighed. “Well.. rationally, I don’t really know what else we can do then. I’m pretty sure none of us want him to go back, but, I think we’re forgetting something pretty important. There is that guy that Rolo was talking about. What do we do about that?”

“Another reason I think we should still see if he’ll join us,” Shiro said. “Do you really think he won’t-” Keith fixed him with a flat look. “There’s got to be something you can do?”

“Guys… I don’t… I think I’d sooner be able to give him all my money and a boat ticket and send him far away from here, but I don’t think he’d be thrilled with the idea of spending everyday in stilted silence with the person he hates."

“So then, we let him go.” Pidge stated flatly. “If there’s nothing else we can say, to get him to agree, then that’s the only choice we have. Let him go and hope he survives. Are you sure, you are fine with that?”

“Of course I’m not fine with that,” Keith practically shouted, hands shaking. “But…” Keith’s eyes darted between them. “But, I… I think I might be able to convince him to join the team,” he said softly, brows furrowed. He stood, and left the room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Holly is having some quality family tome this weekend so I'll be posting the chapter this week! 
> 
> This is one of my favorite chapters that we have. It was so much fun to write and explore. It really opens up a lot for our later chapters. :)
> 
> I want to take just a minute to tell you all how much we love each and every one of your comments. All the support we've been getting is just amazing and we cannot express how much we love it. We love you all! 
> 
> Lindsay


	12. Watch Me Stumble Over and Over

When Lance finally blinked his eyes open, he was laying on a very soft bed, softer than he actually remembered ever sleeping on. He blinked a couple of times, eyes easily adjusting to the dark room. The room was large and open, with a little table in the corner and an empty chair sitting next to the bed. His coat was draped over the back of another chair, and he was covered with a soft blanket. His knee still burned and ached but it was far less than it had been. Absently, Lance wondered how much time he’d lost.

He wasn’t an idiot, he knew he had pushed himself too far. It had honestly been years since he’d let himself go like that, but… he didn’t regret it. Allura was worth it. Lance shook his head, he couldn’t think like that. It was exactly that kind of thinking that had landed him in this mess with those hunters in the first place. He’d done it for Coran, and look where he was now.

Lance raised one hand up, holding it a few inches from his face before he sighed, letting his hand fall back down. “I really am kind of pathetic…”

“I would not say that.” Coran stated as he slipped through the slightly open door. “Pathetic is not a word I would ever use to describe you.”

Lance shook his head again. “Sure.” he turned his face away, looking toward the wall instead of at Coran. It didn’t matter than the older man couldn’t see Lance as clearly as Lance could see him. 

“So, how bad was it this time?” 

“This time? You mean, this is not the first time that this has happened?” Coran frowned, and reached a hand out to light the small lamp on the table. 

Lance closed his eyes when the room lit up. He wasn’t in the mood for a warm light, he just wanted the cold reality of darkness. “It’s fine, Coran. I know how to make sure I don’t get lost.” He turned his head a bit more, focusing on the shadow of the bed on the wall. “But, thanks for keeping an eye on me.”

There was a creaking sound as Coran settled himself into the empty chair. “It was not just me you know, They took turns sitting with you, you were not left alone for a moment. Even Allura stopped by to check on you. In fact...” He half turned toward the door, but Shade interrupted him.

“I see.” That was the perfect end to a really shitty day then. He had vague recollections of conversations, and Lance knew he wasn’t entirely lucid while he struggled to keep from being lost in the shadows himself. Usually, it was easy for Lance to keep himself separate from the shadows, but if he used them too much too often, the line between him and them tended to blur. Overexerting himself only made it worse. 

“Shade. In all the time I have known you, you have never let anyone help you. You have always taken care of yourself, alone. But, you must know that I am here for you. As is Allura… and I feel that those...” 

Lance shook his head. “I know that you would try to be, but you have other people that need your kindness more than I do. I know what I need to do.” He slowly sat up, fingers absently moving over the soft blanket. “After today, there is no chance that they will not demand answers. So, they can have them. I’ll tell them what they want to know, and then, I’m going back to the mines. Everyone can just... Move on with their lives. I’ll be around for a couple more days, I need to collect a few things, and I’m waiting on someone from Kassis, but then, I’m going. If I’m there, whoever is after me can deal with just me. That’s how it should be.”

Lance was sure that was the way it should be, but it honestly wasn’t how he wanted it to be. Despite knowing better, he was attached to Coran and Allura… and he still liked the hunters, even if he knew that he shouldn’t. He would have liked to stay here, where he was comfortable, but really how could he? When him being here, put Allura and Coran in danger? How could he stay in such an open easily accessed place knowing Narti would be with him? How could he stay not knowing exactly what it was the hunters wanted from him?

Lance turned back to face the wall, missing the way Coran again looked back at the door, how his eyes met Allura’s, before she nodded and slipped away.

….

Allura had intended on finding the hunters to let them know that Shade was awake, but she found herself standing in the now empty main room, looking at a canvas pack that was resting on the floor near the door. She’d insisted that Coran tell her everything that had happened during her absence, so she knew exactly who the pack belonged to. It was Shade’s. 

Allura didn’t know Shade as well as Coran did, but she liked what little she did know. Despite his circumstances, he had never avoided her, like some of the others did, or treated her like his problems were all her fault. He’d done the little jobs she had for him, and Allura could admit freely, that she could have done more for him. 

She absently picked up the bag, toying with one of the straps. Guilt gnawed at her, as she thought about what had happened in that warehouse. She had barely done more than offered him the smallest of kindnesses and he had gotten shot helping her escape. That was going to change. 

Allura slowly tested the weight of the pack. She would have liked to fill it, insure that even if Shade did leave in the morning, like he kept insisting on, that he was at least properly supplied, but then, she didn’t think he would simply accept it either. Perhaps she could hire Shiro and his team to look after Shade, until she was able to determine exactly whomever it was that was after him. But then… Coran had seemed rather adamant that Shade did not trust them any longer. 

She would wait then, just until the morning. See if they would accept Shade’s decision or if they would fight for him. If not, then, Allura would find another way… But, she simply could not leave things as they were now. 

….

Normally, Hunk was the first one awake in the mornings, followed quickly by Pidge. Shiro and Keith were always the last two to wake in the day but when Hunk opened his door, they were both waiting in the hall. Hunk frowned a little as he inched out into the hall to let Pidge past him. He still wasn’t sure they were going to be able to change Shade’s mind about leaving, no matter what Keith had implied, but, he had to admit that a united front was a pretty good start. He just hoped it all went well. He hated seeing the worry Shiro had on his face, or how Pidge would frown, and worse, how Keith alternated between sad and protective. 

As they entered Coran’s dining room, they found not only Coran, but Shade and Allura sitting there as well. Both Coran and Allura had mugs sitting before them, while Shade had only a cup of water. Shade looked remarkably better than he had, no longer fading in and out, but he didn’t look up from the cup and his mouth was set into a tight line. 

“...do wish you would reconsider. A few days, even, so that I can be certain you have recovered. In addition, your knee will not be ready for such strenuous travel for several more days...” Coran’s words were soft. 

“I’m fine. Really. As soon as…”

“Oh, good morning all of you.” Allura spoke a bit louder than she usually did. “I hope that everyone slept well.”

Shiro murmured a soft greeting as everyone settled around the large table, but Keith could not have repeated what he said to save his own life. His eyes were fixed on Shade, who had his head down. The atmosphere was tense and awkward, until Shade broke it by abruptly standing up, hands planted on the table with his head still down. 

“Thank you for helping Coran look after me yesterday, I know that you have a lot of questions and in exchange for your help, I’ll give you those answers. So I will explain what I can.” Shade did not move his head as he pushed back away from his chair and the table, stumbling a bit. His hands were curled tightly, as he took a slow breath and started explaining. “I don’t know what word would fit someone like me, and frankly, I never cared enough to find out.”

Shiro opened his mouth, but a sharp gesture from Coran along with a stern look silenced him. 

“I know you’ve seen a little of what I can do.” Shade carried on, eyes fixed on the floor as he softly bit out each word. “I don’t need a lantern to see in the dark, and it’s easy to just.. Blend in with the shadows. I know that you’ve seen me disappear a couple of times. I don’t actually, I just… move from one dark place to another. The shadows don’t look the same to me that they do to you, I can see them move, and shift, and… they talk to me, I can’t.. always understand them, but I can always hear them. Sometimes… they even do me favors.” His back straightened a bit. “What happened yesterday, was me pushing myself too far. The lines between me and them blurred and I had to find my way back. So, I’m fine. I told you what I can explain and now.. We can all go back to our own lives. Your job is done, and I have one waiting for me up north.” 

He turned, head finally raising to look at Coran and Allura. “After I replenish my trade and the people I’m waiting on arrive, I’ll be going. Thanks for looking out for me.” Shade nodded, then limped out of the door. 

The table was silent until Keith shoved his own chair back and just managed to avoid Shiro’s grasping hand and raced out the door himself. “Shade, wait! Please,” he panted as he caught up to him outside. He couldn’t just let him leave, not without at least trying.

He paused, right outside of Coran’s door. Shade half turned, fixing Keith with a wary look. “What? I honestly told you everything I could explain.”

“No- No, that’s not- You told us more than I expected actually…” Keith tripped over his words, his heart hammering in his chest.

Lance’s head tilted slightly, as he shifted to put most of his weight on his right leg. “Then… what do you want?”

Keith knew what he wanted. “I want you…” But that wasn’t what Shade was asking. “To take my place on the team.”

_ What the fuck?  _ Lance blinked, then repeated it out loud. “What the fuck?”

“It pays well, and uh, obviously there’s a lot of freedom. I can’t imagine a safer group of people to surround myself with, and… you wouldn’t have to go back to the mines.” Keith rambled out, his eyes staring just over Shade’s shoulder. “It’s a good job…”

Lance honestly could not wrap his mind around Keith’s outlandish proposal. “I’ve… gathered that… but..” He shook his head. “First off, where are you going? Second, what would I even do? I saw you all in the warehouse. That kind of… teamwork isn’t easy to replace, and it would honestly be kind of… weird to try…”

“You don’t have to worry about me being around.” Keith finally let his eyes flit to Shade’s for just a second. “I promise, I won’t bother you anymore, I can find a shipyard, or maybe sail to Marmora, I hear there’s work for guys with my skillset there… but, the team would help you, they’re good people, don’t let what I did make you think poorly of them. I’m sure with your amazing abilities, Voltron would be better than ever.” Keith nodded to himself, chewing the inside of his cheek.

“I…” Lance considered it for just a moment, then shook his head. “No. That’s… nice of you to offer, but you can’t just… give your place away. It is your place. It’s… something you worked for, and is yours. I already told you I wasn’t mad at you. It happens… I should have expected you to lie to me, Keith. It’s what people do.”

“You should expect better for yourself,” he muttered. “Look, we were already planning on asking you to join anyway, so technically, it’s your spot that you earned… I’m just making sure you’ll take it, so whatever I have to say, I’ll say it…”

“I am not going to do anything that is going to make you leave your family.” Lance stated flatly. “I will not do that to anyone. Not even if it was Rolo making me the same offer. I wouldn’t do that to  _ anyone. _ Besides…” His eyes darted toward the closed door. “I have to think about Shroud. So, just… stop alright?”

A chill ran up Keith’s spine as the events of the night before ran through his mind. “Fine! Then who’s going to look after her if something happens to you?” Keith fought to keep his voice from rising, the words biting their way through his teeth. “How are you going to look after her if no one is looking out for you? Think of all the food you could put in both of your bellies! All the things you could buy her! All the books she could ever want, a real home for her and Slav when you travel? And what will she have if you die in those mines, huh?” Keith’s fingers shook at his sides.

“Do you think I haven't?” Lance snapped, head up and eyes fierce. “Do you think that she isn’t my first thought every damn day? Why do you think I went to the mines in the first place? Do you think I wanted to spend every day there, working for nothing and dying a little bit each day? No, I did it for her! For the only person in the whole damn world that actually  _ chose _ me. How do you think I managed to get the books I used to pay Slav to look after her? As for what she’ll have if I die… she’ll know I didn’t leave her by choice. What is your team going to think, knowing that you are?” 

Keith stepped back. It felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He finally really looked at Shade. He tried several times to find the words, his mouth opening and closing silently. He sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. “Then, I choose you. I'm choosing you over them, because they'll get over it, they'll be alright without me, but you- you can't go back to those mines, I can't let you live like that, you and Shroud deserve better, and this is all I've got to give you. So, please, just take the damn job.”

Lance stumbled as he shifted his weight. “But…” He didn’t understand Keith. Not at all. First he was rude, then he lied, but he also insisted on buying Lance food, was arguing for Lance to stay, despite what his team wanted. “I… don’t understand you. Why do you seem to care so much… but at the same time make it seem like you don’t want to be involved….” 

Lance bit his lip, hard enough to help take his mind off the ache in his knee, and his swirling thoughts. He shook his head again. He was not going to stay if it meant someone else was going to lose their family. He  _ couldn’t _ do it. “I’m not going to stay, if that means you leave. That just… isn’t right.”

“Trust me, all I’ve wanted this whole time was to be involved with-” The words came tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them. He tensed, clearing his throat. “But, I really fucked this up.” Keith gestured vaguely in the space between them. “And if the only way to get you to join the team is by leaving… then, that’s what I’ll do.”

Lance felt his face warm at the implication behind Keith’s words and promptly cursed himself as seven different kinds of an idiot. He didn’t exactly like to admit it but Keith made several good points. He did need to think about Narti, even if he had no intentions of letting anyone else know about her. He also couldn’t help but admit that Keith’s statement about choosing him, had gotten to him. Still… “If… If I did stick around… I’d need four things from you.” His head turned to stare at the wall of Coran’s home. 

“First.. I will not stay if it means you leave. I know you don’t understand, but I cannot do that.” Lance bit at his lip, chewing on it for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. He knew he was caving, giving in, but it was hard to hold out in the face of this kind of determination. “Second, Shroud. I don’t know… if I will ever feel comfortable mentioning her to your team. But, I still have to take care of her. She’s my responsibility, and that might mean I need to duck out or disappear for a while. Next… we can’t just… keep going over this. Every time I start to feel a little better about it, it comes up again and I get angry at myself all over again. So let’s just.. Move on, and let me get used to the idea of.. This again….” He mimicked Keith’s earlier gesture. “Finally… I need you to tell me, exactly what it is you want from me, because, I don’t understand why this matters so much….”

“I just want you to be safe… and happy… so, yes, whatever you want, whatever you need, it’s yours.” Keith would have been embarrassed by how his voice sounded, but he was too fucking relieved to care.

“Alright… then.. I guess we should… go and see if your team even wants me to stay…”

Keith burned with excited energy. If things weren’t what they were, he could have hugged Shade. Knowing he wasn’t going to have to give up his team, and knowing that Shade was going to become part of it… Keith couldn’t even really pinpoint exactly what he was feeling, he just knew he was feeling a lot. He followed Shade back into the house.

When the two came back into the room, Hunk promptly started to tear up, a wide grin on his face, while Pidge leaned back in her chair and grinned smugly at Shiro. 

“Are you two… alright,” Shiro asked, pointedly ignoring Pidge.

Keith looked at Shade. “Um… so, I’d like to, uh… suggest adding Shade to the team.”

Pidge elbowed Shiro, then smiled just a little bit wider. “Fine with me.”

“Of course!” Hunk grinned, cheerfully. “He’s the only one with a decent sense of humor.”

Shiro stepped forward, a big smile on his face and his hand outstretched. “Welcome to the team, Shade.”

Lance slowly shook Shiro’s hand. “Thanks…” 

Hunk skirted the table and hauled all three of them into one of his all encompassing hugs, while Pidge cackled from the table. “We should celebrate!”

Keith couldn’t fight back the giddy laugh that erupted from his chest. He figured with the tangle of limbs, that he could relax into the hug and maybe Shade wouldn’t quite notice the hand squeezing his shoulder. He beamed at him through the hug and vowed to himself to never let Shade regret this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyyy, sorry this chapter is going up a little late. My life is chaos rn
> 
> I love this chapter. It's really what I consider the turning point of the story. With the Rolo stuff behind us and Lance healing and Keith working to make things right, it really sets us on a new course and I love it. I also noticed that a certain phrase gets said for the first time here and becomes something much bigger and more meaningful later. And that's all I'll say on that lol
> 
> Thank you as always for all of the kind words and support you guys give us every week. I cannot express what it means to both of us. Your comments really make our days.
> 
> <3 Holly


	13. Treasures and Trash

Coran poked his head into the room, as Lance finally wiggled free of the hug. Coran clapped his hands together sharply. “Ah! I am pleased to see that you changed your mind Shade.”

Hunk grinned. “We were just about to celebrate. I know just the thing too!” He glanced over his shoulder at Pidge. 

“Well, I do not wish to intrude on your celebrations… but I was wondering if…”

“What is it Coran?” Shiro stood just a bit straighter. 

“Well, you see, I admit that I have been neglecting my duties at the Sanctuary, and I was hoping that perhaps you all could help me with a few things? Of course, Shade cannot do anything terribly strenuous while his knee heals, but perhaps you could deliver a few messages for me, my boy?”

Lance leaned a bit against the wall, his arm just brushing Keith’s as he moved. “Sure, Coran. I have some things to do myself, so dropping them off, won’t be a problem.”

“We’re all willing to help, right?” Shiro turned, his mouth set in what Pidge referred to as his fatherly glare, the one that they all tended to agree with. 

Hunk nodded. “I will gladly do whatever you want me to, right after I go and get our celebration treat. If that’s alright?”

“Of course. It is likely that I will be gone for most of the afternoon, so if you would be so kind as to prepare a dinner, then Hunk. I would be most appreciative.”

Pidge’s eyes had brightened at the mention of a celebration treat. She loved sweets and Hunk always found the best ones. “Why don’t Shade and I go with you Hunk, and we can bring the treats back for Shiro and Keith. That way he can deliver his messages, and we can make sure he doesn’t get jostled too much in the crowd.”

“That does sound like an excellent compromise.” Coran stated, passing a couple of envelopes to Shade before tucking his hands behind his back. “If you would be so kind as to clean up the rooms I have lent you, Pidge, and if Keith is willing to perhaps fetch some firewood?”

Pidge made a face at the word cleaning but Shiro’s glare made her reluctantly nod her head. Keith opened his mouth to argue that he should go with them, but he couldn’t scrape together a reason other than he just wanted to go, that he wanted to be wherever Shade was, so he shut his mouth and nodded.

“What do you need me to do, Coran?”

“I have some rather large packages that must be delivered tomorrow. Normally, I would simply ask Shade, but they are quite heavy, and I do not wish for him to put any undue strain on his knee.”

“I’m not a child…” Lance muttered, loud enough for only Keith to hear. “It’s not the first injury I’ve ever had…”

A torso littered with scars passed through Keith’s head. He frowned. He didn’t like the idea of Shade having one more grisly scar, especially when he felt partially responsible.

“Of course! I can handle the deliveries.” Shiro looked pleased. 

Pidge coughed and shuffled to Hunk’s side, muttering loudly. “Because he wants to impress Allura by making Coran like him…”

Shiro’s face turned an astonishing shade of red, but Coran simply chuckled. “In fact, I wish you well in that endeavor. I am, in all honesty, the friendly one of the two of us.”

“He’s right. Allura is going to lead you on a merry chase.” Lance finally smirked, looking unrepentant when Shiro turned his glare on him

“Alright, enough of that. If you three are going then go, so we can do what Coran needs us to do.” Shiro scowled warningly.

Keith huffed as the others practically skipped out the door. He ignored Shiro’s knowing look and followed much more glumly out the door. “Hey, Keith, wait up,” Shiro said as he came to join him.

….

Coran’s errands didn’t take much time at all, since Lance knew several shortcuts across the city. He didn’t really feel like joining in on the conversation Hunk and Pidge were having, mostly because.. He really wasn’t sure he could actually fit in. For instance, he liked a good joke, and appreciated people being around him, he wasn’t used to it actually happening. There were people around in the Sanctuary, and in Kassis, but that was not like this. That was, shared space with people a lot like you, people that didn’t want to talk or share things… people that understood if you chose not to answer. 

Hunk and Pidge, Shiro and Keith were not like that. They were better now, than they had been at first, about picking up on some of his subtle clues that he didn’t feel like talking, but it wasn’t the same. There was always that awkward pause, or moment of strained silence. Lance didn’t exactly like being the cause of it. He was… going to have to change a lot to fit in with this team. Maybe… it wouldn’t end up working after all…

“Shade!”

Lance blinked, head raising up to look over at Hunk who had stopped in front of a small stand. “Oh… um… Yes?”

“We decided that we’re going to get baked apples. This stand has the best ones. Is that alright with you?”

“Why would you bake an apple?” The whole idea sounded weird. Apples were supposed to be tart and crisp, well, Lance usually ate them just this side of spoiled so, tart and mushy were acceptable to him. 

Pidge paused in her examination of the stand to stare at him with her mouth open. “You’ve…  Never had a baked apple?”

Lance just shook his head. 

“They are the best when it’s cold out, warm and sweet, because they usually bake them with a bit of sugar. They’re soft and really good. Okay, we are not waiting until we get back. We will eat ours on the way.”

“Pidge. This is a celebration. We should wait until everyone is here.” Hunk frowned a little, but looked as shocked as Pidge sounded. 

Lance really didn’t understand what the fuss was about. So, he’d never had a warm apple. It wasn’t exactly something he needed to survive. “We can wait, I don’t really mind.”

Pidge glared first at Shade then at Hunk. “No. You are trying this right now. Hunk get over here and pay the man, because it is a travesty that he’s never had one.”

Hunk sighed, long and drawn out. Pidge wasn’t going to budge and it would be faster to just let her have her way this time. “Alright, Pidge, but no trying to wiggle out of cleaning for Coran later. Compromise.”

Her nose wrinkled but she nodded. “Fine. I’ll do the damn cleaning, just buy the apples already.”

Lance watched as Hunk carefully picked out five specific apples, spending far more time on it than Lance would have. He blinked when Pidge shoved one of the treats into his hand. He held the little stick awkwardly, uncomfortable with them both staring at him expectantly. The apple looked a bit darker than they usually did, and Lance could see bits of sugar clinging to one side. He shifted on his feet, wincing when he put a little too much weight on his knee. He had to admit, it did smell good.

Pidge and Hunk both shared a knowing look when Shade finally took a small, hesitant bite of the apple. His eyes immediately widened, and he almost dropped the apple. Hunk grinned wide and pleased, while Pidge smiled just a little at how adorable the reaction was. She’d never seen anyone eat one for the first time before, but she thought his reaction was perfect. 

“This is… incredible… It’s… almost better than that chocolate pastry Keith bought me… Wow…” Lance took another small bite, wanting to take his time and enjoy it. 

Hunk patted Shade on the shoulder, too pleased at his enjoyment to mind the flinch. “It one of my favorite treats. If you like it this much, we’ll have to get them again before we leave town.”

Lance paused, apple raised to his lips, about to take a third bite. “Oh… If… everyone else wants to, sure…” He still didn’t feel exactly comfortable throwing his opinions about food out there for the team to pick over. He preferred to just, let them decide those kind of things. It wasn’t like he had any money of his own currently. 

“We will worry about that later.” Pidge stated, taking a very large bite of her own apple. “Let’s take these back before they get cold and get our work done.”

….

When the door opened, late in the afternoon, Pidge almost fell through the door, her grin wide and cheerful. Hunk was hiding his own smile while Shade was absently licking at his fingers. 

Keith and Shiro looked up from where they were leaned against the table. Keith hoped it wasn’t obvious in his posture that Shiro had been questioning him the entire time they’d been gone. Everything from what did he say to make Shade change his mind, to what would be the next step for the team. And he still had firewood to get. “You guys have fun,” Keith asked, trying and failing to keep the hint of envy from his tone. 

“Hopefully not too much,” Shiro said, smiling brightly at them. “Hunk? Everyone stay in line?” He may have been looking at Pidge when he asked.

Pidge stuck her tongue out at him. “Just for that, I’d keep the apple we got for him, Hunk.”

“But, it was so good?” Lance mumbled. “All warm and sweet… It was… really good…”

“We got baked apples, nothing went wrong.” Hunk smiled, handing out the ones he’d bought for the other two. 

Keith remembered what it had been like to give Shade his first taste of chocolate. That little green monster grew a bit in his chest. He wished he could have been there to see the look on his face. He begrudgingly thanked them, only a little bitter at not getting the opportunity to witness it. He melted slightly at his first bite of apple, sighing. He guessed he’d maybe forgive them this time… At the very least he was thankful to finally be able to slip away from Shiro. “I guess I better go actually do what Coran asked,” he managed around a mouthful of apple, shooting Shiro a look.

“Actually, I should get going too.” Lance stated, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I still need to restock my trade, and that will take a while. Besides, I don’t want to distract poor Pidge from her cleaning.”

“I hate you.”

Shiro chuckled. “I can join you, Shade.” Keith looked mutinous.

Lance stared. “Why? I mean… I guess if you want to? But, it will probably… not be terribly interesting…”

“I disagree, it sounds incredibly interesting. I won’t be able to get to Coran’s deliveries until tomorrow anyway, so I hoped maybe you could use the company.” He smiled at him.

Lance shrugged. Well, if he really wanted to go… “Alright. Well, then. I guess we’ll be back later…” He took a limping step then paused. “Oh… Hunk? Do you mind leaving a couple of buckets of water near the back door, please? I’ll need them later.”

Hunk’s brow furrowed but he nodded willingly enough. “I don’t mind… but…”

“Thank you.” Lance interrupted, before turning to glance at Shiro. “We should go.”

….

Collecting trade generally meant scavenging, which in turn meant spending a great deal of time, digging around in the city trash pile, that was kept not terribly far from the docks. Lance didn’t even pause as he slipped the fence and headed for the closest pile.

“So, what exactly are we doing here,” Shiro asked, doing his best to follow Shade.

“I told you, I have to replenish my trade. I used everything I had in Kassis.” He paused, and extended one arm out, gesturing to the dump. “So I need to get some more.”   


“Alright… so then, how can I help?” Shiro scrunched his nose at a particularly disgusting heap of something next to him.

“You… want to help? Are you sure, Shiro? I mean… you’ll get pretty filthy…” Lance skirted a pile of rotten food and slowly settled on the ground, his injured leg stretched out straight. “Mostly, we just look for something someone might want.”

Shiro was a little preoccupied with the green thing near him that seemed to move every couple seconds. “Yeah… alright… so…” He refocused, he wasn’t sure there was a nice way to ask this. “What could someone possibly want from here?”

“Oh, you mean specific things?” Lance had both hands moving through the little pile. “Well, watches are always good for trade, but then again, so are any kind of machine part. Books. Any book, it doesn’t matter how torn up it is. Oh! Keys; keys trade well. Um… leather is also good.”

“Even if it’s been sitting in all this -- Shade! Don’t touch that! What are you doing? You don’t know where that’s been!”

Lance blinked, looking at the dirt and muck all over his hands. “Well… anything on top will have already been looked over. You kind of have to dig for things, Shiro. But, you don’t have to help; it’s fine. I’m actually pretty good at this.” It took every ounce of Lance’s self control not to tell Shiro that he didn’t exactly know where Lance had been either, but he’d still touched him too.

Shiro looked horrified. He looked at the garbage all around them, he couldn’t even find the words for how distressing it was to know that this was something Shade did regularly. He wanted to politely excuse himself to the other side of the fence, but he thought about Shade’s fresh wound, and the possibility of it getting infected. “Alright, the quicker we find the things you need, the quicker we can get you out of here, so… which pile do you want me to take?”

“Stick to the ones near the fence. They don’t ever put food in those piles because it draws animals. So those shouldn’t be too bad.” Lance actually felt a little bad for Shiro. Mostly because not everyone actually did this. Many, a great many simply stole what they needed, but Lance preferred to get by without resorting to that. Some preferred to loot the trash bins in the city as those were far less disgusting. But Lance needed to be able to trade for all kinds of things, especially for Shroud so he actually preferred the dump because there was a better chance of finding more things. 

There was a long awkward silence as Shiro slowly worked through the little pile. He hated the feeling of the stuff in his hands, but stubbornly stuck to his task, slowly extracting a bit of mostly coiled wire with frayed ends, and a warped bit of metal from some machine. 

When he turned to check to make sure he should even bother to keep these things, his words caught in his throat to see Shade, halfway up a larger pile, tucking something into his coat pocket. The man was already filthy. His hands and arms were covered in highly questionable things, and he had a smear of something just above his eyebrow. Shiro stared as Shade dug around a bit more, eventually pulling a fairly thick strap of leather out of the pile. It was beyond disgusting, but Shade still turned it over and examined it with as much care as Shiro would a new pistol in a weapons shop. 

Shiro had always known that unfortunates lived differently. But watching Shade carefully bend the leather before nodding and putting it into his pocket, really drove the point home. How many times had Shade done this? How long has this been his primary source of the things he needed? He remembered what Keith had said after the two had returned from Kassis, how Shade had been able to get so much information about Rolo, just using the team’s leftover scraps. 

Shiro bit back his instinctive urge to again demand that Shade stop what he was doing. He squared his shoulders and moved on to the next pile. Shade was here because he’d used what he had to help the team find Rolo. The least Shiro could do was help him find some more. 

….

It took almost three hours of digging around in various piles, before Shade finally called a halt. Both of them were absolutely disgusting. Shiro had smears of grease and dirt all over his shirt and Pidge was likely going to murder him after seeing the state of his arm. Shade though, looked worse. He had a wad of mud in his hair, and his clothes were covered in muck and slime. But he seemed pleased with the little pile of things they had gathered. Shiro still didn’t see how any of it could possibly be worth something to anyone. 

“This wire is a good find. I’m sure you probably won’t take this as the compliment I mean it as, but, you’re pretty good at this…” Lance let the corner of his mouth curl up a bit, genuinely pleased with the few things Shiro had gathered. He could easily get that brush for Shroud, and likely a newer shirt for himself. Keith had said it was important to have extra clothes. Lance finally reached the bottom of the pile and stared. There was a brass barrette shaped like a leaf; it was bent, and badly discolored, but Lance could bend it back into shape and clean it up a bit, it would be perfect for Shroud. 

“Holy…  this is great!” His smile was much wider this time, as he snatched the little barrette up and tucked it into a completely separate pocket. “Thank you, Shiro!”

Shiro honestly didn’t understand what was so special about a hair barrette. He’d only grabbed it because it was metal and Shade had said anything metal was good for trade. But the care that Shade handled it with, must mean something. “It’s… uh… Not a problem… But, you don’t have to thank me… It was… interesting.”

Lance shook his head. Shiro was a terrible liar. Which, honestly made him feel just a teeny bit better about this whole thing. He still wasn’t entirely convinced that this whole.. Part of a team thing would actually work, but if Shiro was willing to scavenge with him, then maybe they could find a way to make it work. “Let’s get back to Coran’s and clean up then.”

Unsurprisingly, people gave them both a very wide berth, which made it very easy to get back to Coran’s just as the sun was starting to go down. But, Lance stopped Shiro before he could reach for the door. “No, not that way. You can’t go into Coran’s house like this. So we’ll use the buckets I asked Hunk for to at least make sure we won’t ruin anything. Then you can have a real shower and feel more like yourself.”

Stunned, Shiro followed Shade to a little alcove just behind Coran’s house. It wasn’t far from the back door, but there were two buckets of water sitting there, just as Shade said there would be. He watched as Shade pulled off his coat and draped it over one of the branches of a tree, before moving toward one of the buckets. 

“You’re going to take one as well, aren’t you?” Shiro couldn’t help the worry that crept into his tone. He was still extremely concerned about Shade’s wound, but at this point he would be more surprised if Shade didn’t get an infection. 

Lance rolled his eyes as he bent to collect one of the buckets. “I have to take my coat down to the river, so I’ll probably just wash everything while I’m there.” Lance fully planned to clean himself up, but he was going to have to let his clothes dry afterward, and that meant some alone time down at the river. 

“Alright… but you can still…” 

The door opened, revealing Keith, who was shrugging into his jacket. His hair was damp, and he was obviously fresh from the shower. “You’re finally back… that took… What the fuck happened to you two?”

Lance bit his lip hard. Who allowed this guy to look that damn pretty? The colors from the sunset seemed to make his eyes a bit brighter, and he looked good leaning on the doorframe. His hair curled just a bit on his forehead and Lance had the odd desire to push it out of the way so he could see Keith’s face clearly.  _ Shit… Shit and double shit. _ He was so screwed.

“We were collecting Shade’s trade.” Shiro stated stiffly, glaring at Keith when he started to laugh.

“It looks like you dove head first into a garbage pile.” Keith couldn’t keep his laughter contained and it only got worse when he noticed Shiro’s arm. “Oh my god… Pidge is going to kill you. It will take her forever to clean that out!” He leaned a little more on the doorframe, one arm wrapped around his middle. He so rarely got the opportunity to tease Shiro, that he intended to make the most of it. 

Lance took a slow step back, feeling a little ashamed of his appearance for the first time in a long while. He was suddenly aware of exactly how terrible he had to look. Shiro didn’t look very good and Lance was much dirtier than he was. When Keith brought up Shiro’s arm, Lance felt even worse. He hadn’t even thought about how digging around in the dump would affect the delicate gears and wires. There was no way, Shiro could deliver Coran’s packages with his arm like that. Lance should have insisted harder on going alone. 

“If she is going to kill me, then I want a hug before I die.” Shiro reached out one arm to Keith who sidestepped.

“Not a chance! You are disgusting, Shiro!”

Shiro was one step away from grabbing Keith in a headlock, intent on smearing as much goop on him as he was able to when he caught Shade slowly shifting away out of the corner of his eye. He paused, turning to look at him. “Shade? What is it?”

Keith’s eyes finally moved from Shiro to Shade. Shade was even filthier than Shiro was, but Keith didn’t have any desire to laugh at him. He just, wanted to drag him inside and shove him into a shower, wipe the muck from his face… and just never let him leave the house again. He wanted to keep Shade from all the harsh and painful and filthy parts of the life he’d been living. Instead, here he was openly mocking it… His stomach sank.

“I’m… sorry, Shiro.”

Confused, Shiro exchanged a look with Keith before he turned back to Shade. “Sorry for what?”

“I didn’t even think about your arm. I shouldn’t have let you go with me…” His voice was soft, hesitant. Lance snatched his coat off the tree branch and took another step backward. “When I get back, I’ll tell Coran that I’ll deliver those packages tomorrow, since it’s my fault you can’t… I’m… sorry.”

“Wait… where are you…?”

“Shade, it’s really not that --”

But Lance still turned and went around the corner of Coran’s house, as quickly as his knee would allow him. 

Shiro took a step, but Keith moved just a bit faster. “I’ve got it, Shiro. Go clean up.” 

….

Lance kept a brutal pace all the way out of the city and to the river.  _ He was such a damn idiot. _ First, he messed up Shiro’s arm, then he realised his feelings for Keith, that he should have gotten over already were getting far too out of control. It hasn’t even been a full day, and he was practically drooling at the guy, what the hell was  _ wrong _ with him? Now, here he was trying to forget both Shiro and Keith’s reactions to something that Lance probably did several times a month, instead of cleaning himself up. Honestly, what had he been thinking? 

He emptied his pockets, dumping everything he had into a pile on the ground before abruptly wadding his coat into a ball and shoving the entire thing into the river. He scrubbed at it with harsh movements, before he started talking. 

“Are you going to help, or just stand there and silently judge me?” His head turned, looking down toward the ground. His expression softened, just a bit. “It’s fine, really. Between Coran and Hunk there are so many bandages covering it that I don’t think it’s even possible for anything to get in there.” He shook out his coat, and rubbed at a couple other spots. “I really don’t need you to be an asshole right now, Slade. Please, just help me dry my clothes and you can make fun of me later.” Lance finally shook his coat out again, and tossed it at his own shadow, already working on getting his shirt off when it disappeared.

Keith had emerged from the tree line just in time to see Shade’s coat vanish. He couldn’t help the shocked gasp the sight pulled from him, and he knew he’d given himself away by the harsh tensing in Shade’s shoulders. Keith cleared his throat and stepped closer to the water’s edge, his boots crunching the rocks in the awkward silence. “I didn’t mean to, uh... “ Keith squinted up at the sky, trying for words. “I’m sorry that I’m such a jackass,” he sighed. Was he just always going to say the wrong thing in front of Shade?

The gasp made Lance pause, hands and wrists still caught in his shirt, his arms held in front of him. He turned, one eyebrow up, before he immediately turned back to face away, hoping Keith couldn’t see the red on his face.

Like his coat before, he wadded the shirt up and shoved it into the water. “I don’t know why  _ you  _ are apologizing. I’m the one that messed up Shiro’s arm…” He scrubbed at his shirt for a bit, before he shook it out, and bit at his lip. 

Keith kept having to turn away to keep his eyes from raking over Shade. He swallowed deep breaths and chewed on the inside of his cheek, even as he mumbled out his response. “Shiro isn’t a child, he can make his own decisions, if he decided to help you, then he’s the one that gunked up his arm, not you.” Keith chanced a glance in Shade’s direction, only to stare straight up into the sky at the sight of more skin. “Besides, he messes that thing up regularly, just ask Pidge. He’s crushed it in landslides, left it submerged in water for far too long, he’s forgotten to oil it. He once thought, since it’s metal, he could pick up burning logs and it’d be fine… forgot that metal still melts and also that half the things Pidge has in there are still highly flammable. So, a little mud and shit? Not so bad.” He shrugged.

Lance tossed his shirt the same way he had his coat, and paused for just a moment. He considered, then shrugged. He’d never exactly had much modesty, too used to washing in large groups and it wasn’t like Keith would be paying attention or care… really. Just because Lance thought Keith was pretty didn’t mean Keith would ever look  _ his _ way. But, to be fair, he did move slightly more into the river, before he shucked off his pants and started cleaning those as well. 

“He’s seriously done all of that? Pidge doesn’t… exactly strike me at the type to just… let that go… I mean, she does all the maintenance on it… right?” Lance didn’t really understand, but then, if he had a neat metal arm, he would probably try to do fun things with it too. He chewed on his lip as he finished cleaning his pants and threw them into the shadows as well, before finally focusing on cleaning the gunk off his face and out of his hair.

Keith forgot how words worked. He stumbled on the rocky bank and allowed himself to sit just shy of too hard on the ground, eyes trained on his knees. “Y-yeah, uh, she gets mad, but, um, most of it is on the job, so…” 

Lance kept his fingers busy working the mud out of his hair. He was quiet as he dunked his head several times, and started rubbing at a spot just over his eyebrow. “I’m not going to lie… I’m still not too sure about this whole… team idea of yours…” He paused, and glanced over his shoulder. “I mean… I’m not really sure how I can help… I’m not exactly a fighter or anything.”

Keith looked up from where he was playing with a stray thread on his pants, but the look of confusion was quickly replaced with a blush. He coughed to cover his stammer and hoped he could keep his shit together long enough to say an entire sentence without sounding like an idiot or staring off at some random thing to his left. He was a grown man for christ sake. “I’ve seen you handle yourself just fine. What you did with Rolo? That was amazing. And not everyone in a group is necessarily a fighter, we all have different roles and talents…”

Lance abruptly turned, moved slightly toward the shore again, before raising one arm and muttering a bit. His shirt came sailing back, and he worked it back on. “Well… I guess… But, what I did to Rolo, took a lot out of me… as I told you…” He bit at his lip, and smoothed his shirt down. He muttered again and his pants were seemingly tossed to him.

“U-uh, yeah, w-well then we work on it. And we work on your hand to hand so you don’t always have to use it, maybe get you a weapon if you want.” Keith rubbed a hand down the back of his neck and hoped that the closer Shade got that his flushed cheeks weren’t becoming more obvious.

Mulling over Keith’s answer, Lance chewed on his lip as he finished getting dressed. “I was going to make a gun… but that can wait. For now, I guess I’ll just have to follow your lead… right?” He turned again, dropping to a crouch and cleaning off the things from his pockets. “Or…  Shiro’s I suppose…”

Keith stood, dusting himself off and finally trying to look at Shade again. “Yeah, I mean --” Keith’s words stuck in his throat when their eyes met briefly, but a small smile quirked the corner of his lips. “Hang on,” he said, biting back a laugh. He pulled out a small scrap of fabric he used for cleaning his knives out of his back pocket. He turned it in his hands until he found a clean corner. “Hold still,” he whispered as he slowly grabbed Shade’s face and wiped an errant smear of mud off of his temple. “You missed a spot.”

Lance tensed at the touch, not a full flinch but he still went very stiff and still. His eyes tracked Keith’s movement before they settled on his face. For just a moment, he stared into dark eyes before his whole face went red, and he coughed. “Oh… um… thanks…”

Keith ducked his head and stepped back, pocketing the rag once again. “No problem…”

Lance took more time than necessary to finish cleaning the items and gathered it in his arms. “So… we should probably go back… oh.” He paused, looking up, a hint of red still on his face. “What did you come out here for, anyway?” 

“Oh, uh… I just… wanted to make sure you were… that I didn’t…” Keith took a breath and tried again. “I’m really good at saying the wrong thing, and I wanted to make sure that we were still- that I hadn’t upset-” he huffed a sigh. “I came to apologize.” Why was talking to Shade  sometimes so effortless and other times so damned difficult?

Lance stared, head tilting a bit. “Oh, for the whole… teasing Shiro thing? It’s fine. It was a normal reaction, right? I mean, most people don’t do that…” Lance would watch himself more carefully. Make sure to do those kinds of things when everyone else is busy and wouldn’t miss him. 

“You know… you don’t really have to do that stuff anymore? I mean, I’m not trying to say your whole life has to change, but you don’t have to continue to… dig in the trash if you don’t want? Or sleep in trees, or stay in the unfortunate hostels, or go without food,” Keith rushed to get his words out, sure he was putting his foot all the way down his throat. “We, uh, want to take care of you. You’re one of us now.”

Hesitating, Lance sighed. “Well… I’ll probably still sleep in trees. Mostly because there’s not really room for three in either of the tents, and it doesn’t make any sense to buy an extra just for me… and… I’m working on the whole… getting used to regular meals thing. It’s just, not what I’m used to. The other two… well, I still have to do those for a while longer. At least… until I decide whether I want to tell them about Shroud…” He paused, and dug into the little pile he was holding. “I mean, I can get things for her this way… you know?” He held out the little barrette. “Even if I’d gotten paid for helping out, I still wouldn’t have been able to get her anything nice like this.” Despite what Keith said, he was wrong. Lance’s whole life  _ was _ going to change,  _ he _ was going to have to change, and he knew it.

Keith frowned but nodded as he watched Shade pocket the barrette. “I guess… but I bet it wouldn’t take us long to save up enough to get her some nice things… and I was thinking maybe it would be good to get another smaller tent anyway, you know, just in case something happened, we could, uh, fall back on it, but in the meantime it could still be used…” Keith didn’t bother saying how he thought the new sleeping arrangements should go, but he meant what he said, they could use another tent.

_ Us? _ Lance’s head snapped up at that. He hadn’t misheard, not this time. Keith had actually said us… meaning… both of them? But, Keith barely knew Shroud, why would he consider unless…

Lance shook his head several times to banish those overly hopeful thoughts.  _ Don’t be an idiot, Lance.  _ “Well… if it’s something you all agree on, then, that’s different. But, I’m honestly not sure how you can handle Shiro the space thief every night. It would drive me nuts.” Not that Lance exactly minded the way he’d woken up the one and only time he’d shared a tent with them.

Keith laughed, glancing down at his boots as he bit at his cheek. “Well, then, um, maybe we should make him sleep in the solo tent…”

“Either that, or dump him in Allura’s room one night and just watch the result.” Lance shared a grin at the thought. “But, I guess we’ll see. I will say this… He’s a brave man to try.”

Laughter bubbled up from Keith yet again. He could rarely help himself around Shade. “He’s something.” Keith shook his head. “I take it no one has really tried before?”

Lance shrugged, smile still on his face. “Oh, some tried, but they either tried to act like she couldn’t think for herself, or that she needed someone so her life was complete. I think she punched one of them… I’d have to ask Coran…”

“I imagine she can handle herself,” Keith laughed. “Not that she’ll have to worry, Shiro is not much of dater, and if he was slow about it before the accident, he’s practically moving backwards now.”

“Really? I figured between you and him, there was a line of people vying for your attention.” Lance smirked. “Not Pidge though. She’s mean.”

Keith’s steps faltered. “Uh, what- what do you mean,” he asked, his cheeks heating up. 

Lance kept his eyes ahead, even as he called himself all kinds of names. “Well… I mean look at you all. Hunk’s got this… Cuddly feeling about him. You can just tell he hugs well. Pidge is kind of cute in a ‘just don’t offend me or I will stab you’ way. Shiro’s built like a mountain and gives off this… protective aura.” Lance shrugged. “You’re just really good looking.” He then bit his lip hard to help remind him to keep his damn mouth shut.

Keith narrowly avoided running into a tree. He stared hard at Shade, mouth unsure of how to form words, which was just fine, because his brain had stopped supplying him with any to begin with. “Oh, uh, I… thank you?” Keith smacked his hand against his face. Oh god, what was he saying? Thank you? Noooo, he was such an idiot. “I mean --”

Perfectly willing to let the conversation die a quick and painful death, Lance just waved his hand. “Don’t worry about it. I’m just rambling. Pay me no mind.”

Keith cleared his throat, panicking a bit, not even really registering Shade’s words. “I just, uh, don’t think anyone has ever told me that before? But, um, I think… You are too…” He winced at what a damn fool he sounded like and thanked any deity out there listening that no one else was around to hear him. 

Lance tripped over nothing. He righted himself, cursing everything he could think of, Gods, spirits, himself. Everything. “Oh… uh. Same… I guess…”  _ Shut your mouth, Lance. Stop talking. _ “We should… um… well…”  _ Fuck. _

Keith stopped in his tracks and gaped at Shade. He wasn’t sure what his fight or flight reflexes were telling him, but his whole body felt hot and he could feel sweat beading on the back of his neck. “We should… what?”

Oh, Lance could think of  _ several  _ things, but he wasn’t going to mention any of them. Not a chance. “Oh… um…” He shook his head, trying to clear it and just blurted out. “We should… get back. Yes, we should go back… Um… I need to…. Uh… talk to Coran! About tomorrow, yes…”

“R-right…” Keith’s entire being was telling him to just tell Shade how he felt, but his mouth stayed shut tight. He was hyper aware of the small distance between them, so much more than he had been before. All he wanted was to close that little gap. “Then, uh, I guess we should go…”

For awhile they basked in awkward silence. Keith caught Shade glancing his way more than once, and knew he’d been caught just as well. Keith finally broke the silence, pointing out a mark left on one of the trees nearby, explaining that it belonged to a group of bounty hunters that must have passed through some years ago. Lance hadn’t even noticed it, but listening to Keith mindlessly tell him about it eased the tension between them. They kept their small distance, and they didn’t exactly talk much, but something had changed between them, and when they arrived at Coran’s, their words softened and their steps ceased, and this small, weird thing between them stayed just theirs for a little longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't want to be one of those authors that is always making excuses for posting late, so I'll skip all that and just say sorry, I suck lol and Lindsay is blameless in this, it's 100% me and my life getting in the way.
> 
> Anyway, long time no see, y'all!!! Fairly long chapter, but one of my favs. Lance and Shiro's dumpster diving and the bathing thereafter *like 5 thumbs up emojis* some good shit! Watching Lance experience their world will always kill me, the boy deserves the world. And Shiro getting a taste of Lance's world is priceless. 
> 
> Thank you as always for the love and support, you guys really are the best!!!
> 
> <3 Holly


	14. The Things We Need

“I’m just saying… this is… where you belong.” Keith swallowed, and chewed on his cheek, fighting to keep his face from getting redder, even as his eyes tracked every shift Shade made, every breath of space that disappeared between them.

He watched as Shade drew closer, close enough to feel the warmth of his body, the weight of his stupid coat. Shade planted both hands on either side of the wall, “is this where you want me? Is  _ this _ where I belong?” 

Keith swallowed again, hands curled tightly at his sides, as Shade’s nose just brushed along the column of his throat. He drew a sharp breath when a warm, wet touch dragged down the length of his neck. “I-I..”

“Shh… I understand.” Shade’s voice was gentle, his breath hot against the damp skin. Soft lips, like fresh cotton, pressed lightly, here and there, covering from the collar of his jacket all the way up his neck to the base of his jaw. 

Keith wanted to turn his head, catch that mouth with his own, bring his hands up to cup Shade’s shoulders, draw him close and feel him all the way from his chest to his ankles. Keith wanted to be so wrapped up in Shade that he didn’t know where he ended and Shade began. But he couldn’t make his hands move, or remove his eyes from the blue ones that were oh so close to him. “S-Shade..”

“Tell me, Keith. What do you want? Do you want more of this?” Three light kisses pressed along his jaw. One of Shade’s hands finally moved, shifting from the wall into Keith’s hair, fingers curling into the thick strands. “Or, do you want something else? Just tell me. If I belong here… right here, then you must have thought about it, haven’t you?”

Keith was pretty sure his brain had gone up in smoke. His skin felt like it was on fire; he was burning from the inside out. 

“Just ask me, Keith… All you have to do, is tell me what you want.” The next kiss was on the skin between the corner of his mouth and his jaw, so close to his lips, Keith could practically taste it. 

“I-I… Kiss… me?”

He felt Shade’s mouth curve upward into a grin. Then that mouth was finally,  _ finally _ , pressed against his own -- warm and insistent. Those lips parted slightly, and a tongue drifted along his bottom lip. Keith finally moved, to press closer, to get as close as possible…

Then he hit the floor hard, jarring his shoulder, and knocking his head against the smooth wood. It took him a moment to realize he had fallen out of bed. His head snapped up, Shiro was spread out across his own bed, and there was no sign of Shade anywhere. 

_ Damnit! _

….

Keith grumbled to himself as he entered the main part of the house. There was no going back to sleep after that. He silently berated himself and how he had somehow got it in his head that Shade would be interested in anything like that from him. They had barely started being friendly again, and just because he’d told Keith he was good looking… I mean, he was just being objective… from an outsider’s perspective sort of thing… like how Keith could see that Allura was pretty and that it probably won her several favors in her life. Right? 

Keith groaned as he slumped into one of the chairs.

Unsurprisingly, it was Hunk that found Keith draped across a chair. The poor man was shocked because Keith was never awake before he was, unless Shiro was involved. Hunk quietly passed through the room and moved around the kitchen before he walked back in with a steaming cup and held it out. 

“You alright, Keith?”

Keith frowned at the cup for a second before taking it. He stayed slumped, avoiding Hunk’s kind eyes, but he took a long sip. “M’fine.”

“If you say so…” Hunk wasn’t one to push, so he took a drink from his own cup before he paused, eyes brightening. “Oh! I almost forgot again!” He dug around in his pocket and handed Keith a little knife. “I found this in the warehouse. It’s yours right?” He looked pleased to have returned it. He knew how much Keith loved his knives.

Keith took it on instinct, but when he saw which knife it was, he shook his head. “It’s Shade’s actually, but, um, I can give it back to him…” Keith kept his eyes on his drink and pocketed the knife.

Hunk nodded. “You probably won’t have to wait too long. He’s upstairs with Coran getting his knee checked. I was going to help, but Coran has it under control.” He patted Keith’s arm, then called over his shoulder as he headed back toward the kitchen. “So, what are you doing today? Pidge has already told me she’s on arm maintenance for Shiro today.”

Keith laid his head down on the table, idly turning his cup in circles in front of his face. “I don’t know. I need some supplies, I’ll probably run into town for awhile.” Maybe he could convince Shade to go with him… he needed supplies. Keith felt his shoulders relax just a bit before nerves started to settle in.

“Oh? Can you get me some more bread while you are gone?” Hunk actually batted his eyes at Keith, aiming for a smile. 

Keith snorted a huff of a laugh. “Yeah, yeah, you got it. Anything else? Pidge need anything?”

Hunk chuckled good naturedly. “Pidge  _ always _ needs something, and anyone else will  _ always  _ get it wrong. Don’t even bother. I’ll drag her out later.”

“Are you certain that it is not too much?”

“It’s just packages. They aren’t that heavy, Coran.” Lance rolled his eyes as he stepped off the last stair, turning to frown at Coran. “You don’t have to worry so much.”

Keith regretted how quickly his head snapped up upon Shade’s arrival. He could feel Hunk’s eyes on him. He tried to play it off with a long stretch, his back popping in several spots. “Morning,” he croaked in Shade and Coran’s direction.

“Ah, good morning, Keith! And to you as well Hunk! I trust you both slept better than this one.” Coran jerked a hand toward Shade, who scowled. 

“That was rude.”

“Oh, yes… I did…” Hunk grinned, something more common on Pidge’s face than his own, but he was confident Keith wasn’t paying any attention. “You know, Coran… if you are that worried about Shade, Keith is going into town too, He can help.”

Keith stiffened when all eyes were on him, but he met Shade’s gaze and attempted a smile. “Uh, yeah… I mean, I’d be happy to help, and I’m going that way anyway…”

Lance stared, first at the grin Hunk had, and the scheming expression on Coran’s face. His eyes narrowed as he looked from one to the other. 

“That would indeed ease my mind. Thank you, Keith.” Coran crossed the room and patted his shoulder. 

“I mean… if you want to, but I’m about to leave now… and I don’t know when you were going…”

Keith stood hastily, downing the last of his drink. “That’s fine, and uh we can just do your stuff first…”

Lance nodded and turned to collect the boxes. He could handle delivering some packages with Keith; Lance would keep his mouth closed this time, and focus on the task, then step away and let Keith go do his errands. No need for it to be awkward. So what if he ended up spending most of the night thinking of the long list of reasons why Keith wouldn’t be interested, he didn’t actually have to tell anyone that. “Alright… then I’ll see you both later… Um, and Hunk?”

“Yes?” He looked up from the fruit he was cutting. 

“Please apologize to Pidge again for me? I would but last time I tried, she threw gears at me.”

Hunk chuckled. “Of course.”

Keith held out his arms towards Shade. “Here, let me get some of those…” 

Lance shifted, letting Keith take some of the boxes. He had to admit, they were fairly heavy, but it still shouldn’t take too long to deliver them all. Lance leaned against the door letting Keith out first and shivered just a bit at the chill. It was definitely getting colder. 

Just like the night before, it was awkward. The same tense air resettled around them as each  box and crate were delivered. The piles quickly dwindled, and Lance felt more and more unsure with each side glance. He was trying to keep his own eyes to himself, but found it harder to do without the weight of the packages to distract him. 

Finally, he stepped away from a doorway, the last package delivered, and shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat. He’d completely forgotten to ask for it back until that morning, but he was glad to have it now, what with the chill wind. It gave him somewhere to put his hands as well. He turned, glancing toward Keith. He still looked just a good as he had the night before, damn Lance’s luck. 

“Well… thanks for the help. I’ll, uh… Let you get on with your errands…”

“Oh, uh… I was thinking maybe we could --” Keith hesitated. Maybe he should just let Shade go back to Coran’s, he’d probably had enough of him by now. He stopped just short of agreeing when he noticed the slight shiver that worked its way through Shade with every other breath. “You’re coming with me. We need supplies.” Keith turned down the street with purpose. “Um, please,” he added as an afterthought.

Lance opened his mouth to protest but the please had him caving. “Oh, um… sure. I can help carry… it’s only fair…” He followed along willingly, occasionally glancing at some of the other people. “So, um… what are we getting?”

“I figure we’ll get the new tent, but we’ll save that for basically last so we don’t have to drag it around everywhere we go,” he said as he scanned the shops nearest them. “Hunk needs bread. Again, we’ll save that for close to the end so that it’s still fresh when we get back. So…” Keith spotted the store he wanted. “We’ll start here…” Keith lead him into a small clothing store. It was one they frequented, not anything too expensive, but the clothes were well-made and durable.

It made sense, the way Keith put it. It would be awkward carrying around a tent without any kind of bag to make it easier, and Hunk was terribly picky about his food. Lance was even grateful for the warmth of the store, Keith chose even if he wasn’t entirely sure… oh.. “So… let me guess, you’re finally replacing the shirt I had to tear up, right? I’m honestly not sure why you wore it so long in the first place.” 

He looked around the little shop. He hadn’t actually been in an official clothing shop before, and it was almost astounding for him to see so many different types of clothes. He paused near a hat rack, looking at the ones there, before he shrugged. “So… red, right?”

Keith laughed under his breath. “No, I told you I’m keeping that one. It’ll come in handy. But, I should probably have another regular one too, just in case…” he rummaged around in a rack. “Yeah… I guess I do usually stick to red, huh…” He loaded his arms up with stuff before winding his way back to Shade. As soon as he was close enough, he dumped the items into Shade’s arms. “Alright, so three shirts, I kind of guessed on size, but I think they have a fitting room somewhere. One is long sleeved, good for layering. Some wool socks and a scarf. They probably have some gloves here too…” Keith said as he peered around the store.

Lance blinked, first at the pile in his arms and then at Keith. His mouth opened, once, twice, before it snapped shut and he just stared for a minute… “Wait. I’m confused. What are you doing?” Lance was partially convinced he was imagining things, because why would Keith… No stop it Lance. “Um… I thought we were here for you?”

“Yeah, but I always get the same thing, it’ll take just a couple seconds. I didn’t know if you’d want to try things on first.” He was already turning back to the racks. “You don’t have to get the blue one… you could get all black if you want, but, uh, I thought it suited you…” 

Lance’s eyes dropped down to the top shirt, it was a nice shade of blue.. Still dark, but obviously blue… he liked the color…  _ wait _ . “Wait. Keith.” But Keith was already looking over another rack. Lance frowned and crossed the short space. “Keith! Aren’t you forgetting something? You know… Kind of important?”

Keith looked over his shoulder as he grabbed a red shirt. “You’re right, we should get you some pants too.”

“That wasn’t what I…  _ damnit!  _ Get back here!” Lance chased Keith across the store to a completely different display. “Keith!”

“ _ Shade -- _ ” Keith mocked back teasingly. “Why aren’t you trying those things on? We’re never going to make it to all the places we need to go if you don’t get a move on.”

Lance froze, looked at the clothes, back at Keith and then across the store at the shopkeeper who was eyeing them both. He dropped his voice as he practically hissed the words. “I don’t have any money, you asshole! I gave everything I had to Slav for Shroud.”

“Yes, I am aware. Now, either try on the clothes or gamble on whether or not they fit you, but I don’t want to hear you complain if they don’t cover your whole torso.” Keith quickly turned back to what he was doing to hide the redness in his cheeks at the image of Shade in a shirt much too small for him.

Again, his mouth fell open a little as he stared. “But…” Finally he sighed, shoulders dropping. “Fine. Just. fine….” He turned, looking for the room to try things on. Of course, it was right next to the counter, and Lance grit his teeth as he walked past. Looks like, he’d be handing over any future money to Keith for a while. 

Keith continued poking around, taking time he never really spent in clothing stores. He was usually quick and efficient, in and out, but he knew this was probably a first for Shade, and he definitely needed the things Keith had gathered up for him. Keith and the others weren’t always on the road, and they did have reasonable wardrobes back home, so Keith probably didn’t need the things he now had in his hands, but it was hard not to get swept up in it. It was going to get cold soon, he reasoned as he crossed the store.

“Shade? I found the gloves, there wasn’t much difference in sizes so I just grabbed a blue pair for you. And a sweater… also blue…” Keith didn’t mention that he had matching red sets in his hand. “How is it going in there?”

Lance slowly opened the door, looking extremely uncomfortable. He had on the blue shirt, and it fit surprisingly well, but he wasn’t used to the soft texture and he was convinced he was going to tear it. “I’m really not sure about this….”

“Wow-” Keith’s jaw was on the floor, he was pretty sure. “No, uh, that looks really, um… really good.” Keith flushed, but scrambled to extract Shade’s additional haul from his own. “Sweater and gloves… if you want another color, I can swap them, but, uh, the blue… looks… good.”

“No I… like blue… it’s just…” He rubbed at his arm, the soft texture still a shock. “It’s just…” Why was it so hard to say what he needed to? Was it because the shirt felt nice, soft and warm? Or was it because of the way Keith’s eyes widened? Either way he needed to say it. “I just… don’t feel right about this… I mean… I was going to get a shirt with trade later, but… I always get Shroud her things first, and it’s… weird… to me…To get things for myself and not for her.” Lance’s voice trailed off at the end. 

He promptly ducked his head, fingers absently trailing over the dark blue of the sweater. It was a good color, Close to the color the sky was just after sunset. He wasn’t sure what made Keith pick it, but he had pretty good taste. Lance liked the fact that Keith thought he looked alright, but it was still weird to him. “I… appreciate this, Keith… I do, but… I..” He glanced at the shopkeeper, who was now engrossed in a book. “I don’t know when I can pay you back, and I don’t want to ask for things… because… Nothing’s free…”

Keith blanched for just a moment. He should have thought of Shroud. He frowned at Shade before dumping what he had on the counter. “These, and the things he’s wearing. Shade put the rest of that stuff up here, leave the shirt on…” The woman started to ring up the purchase. “You didn’t ask, I offered, of my own free will, and I didn’t ask for anything back… this isn’t some sort of devil’s pact, I’m not going to steal your soul or ask for anything in return… I just didn’t want you cold…” Keith looked back to the shopkeep. “Do you have coats for small girls?”

Lance stood there, mouth open as Keith chatted with the shopkeeper. He closed his mouth and bit his lip hard when Keith asked about coats for girls. He was confused and indecisive. Part of him, the part that thought Narti deserved everything, wanted to keep quiet, and let Keith buy her a coat, but the rest of him, the part that knew everything had a price, wanted to interject, to insist that he could handle it. In the end, he turned to stare at the wall, face red, and teeth firmly biting his lip. 

Keith listened to the shopkeeper’s advice on what coat would be best for a girl Shroud’s age, but his attention was more on Shade than anything. He had anticipated some pushback, but when none came, he retrieved a little greyish purple coat from the rack and added it to the mound on the counter. He paid and smiled as the shopkeeper found an empty sack to put their purchases in. He thanked her and took the bag, shouldering it and heading out the door.

“Now you’ll both be warm when she gets here,” Keith said as he made his way to the next shop.

It was true, that the little coat would keep Narti very warm, but Lance still felt so guilty. Was he… taking advantage of Keith’s kindness? He hadn’t intended to hint that Narti needed things too, in order to guilt Keith into buying her something. He had just wanted to explain that, he didn’t feel right getting so many nice things for himself. Lance bit his lip some more, teeth leaving a little indention. 

He didn’t understand why it was so important to Keith to do these things. He knew this was no devil’s deal, and of course Keith wouldn’t want his soul, but… he had to have spent a lot of money on all those clothes, and true some of them were actually for Keith, but most of it was for Lance. He was confused and unsure and he hated feeling that way, but he didn’t know how to explain that to Keith. 

So in the end, he said the only thing he could state clearly. “Thank you…. For the clothes…. And… for Shroud’s coat…. She’ll be very warm…” His voice was soft, and hesitant. 

“Happy to do it,” Keith said. And he was, he couldn’t remember being so happy to buy things before. Shopping had always been a necessary evil before. “Alright, so I let you complain at the last store, but this next one… I owe you, so, no fighting me,” Keith said as he stepped into the weapons store.

Lance stared, and started to shake his head but froze at the glare he received. He swallowed and started fiddling with his coat. “Could you… explain? Because, I’m not sure how you owe me.” That should be acceptable, it wasn’t a complaint after all.

Keith huffed as he bypassed the knives. “I know gun pieces when I see them, Shade… and you traded a fair amount for information on a lie… I owe you replacements.”

Lance’s face drained of color. “Well yes… but.. I didn’t trade all of them….” He dug into one of his pockets. “I um… kept the handle…” He held it up, the gray colored wood, almost matching his coat. 

Keith looked at him and hummed. “Alright, well, I admittedly don’t know a lot about building guns, that’s more Pidge and Hunk’s thing, but… just get whatever you want.” Keith flagged down the man restocking the shelves. “My friend here is building a gun, and needs everything but a handle.” He smiled at Shade and stepped back to let them look.

Lance really, really wanted to argue. It had been his choice to trade the parts, and he was pretty sure he’d already asked Keith not to mention it anymore, but the man was already there, pulling out various pieces and explaining them politely. He turned just enough to step past Keith and shoved his hands into his pockets. If Lance had been uncomfortable before, he was beyond that and into embarrassed now. 

He hesitantly explained the parts he used to have and reluctantly, passed over the handle, trying very hard to ignore Keith’s eyes on him and how the shopkeeper exclaimed over the type of wood. The shop had most of the same parts Lance had traded minus a barrel, so he again glanced at Keith, and shrugged. “Um… I guess these?”

Keith smiled as he followed the shopkeeper to the counter. “Bakery next,” he asked Shade as he pulled out money to pay for the pieces.

In a way, Lance was relieved that the bakery was next, because there was absolutely nothing he needed from there. They were just going to get Hunk’s bread, that was all. Then, a tent, Lance supposed. He still felt uncomfortable, but he couldn’t help the soft ‘thanks” he gave as an answer.

Keith followed the smell of baked goods to the bakery. He eyed the display case and pointed out the bread Hunk wanted. “I’m a little hungry, how ‘bout you,” he asked Shade.

_ Shit. _ Lance shrugged. He wasn’t exactly hungry, but he wasn’t exactly full either. “I’m… indifferent? I’m not really one way or the other….” He ducked his head a bit, paying absently with his coat. 

“Hmm.” Keith bent down to get a better look at one of the shelves. “When does Shroud come again,” he asked almost absentmindedly, still crouched down.

Lance relaxed just a bit, shoulders slowly dropping. “Oh, according to the message Coran gave me this morning - she should be here, tomorrow. I’ll probably spend the whole day at the Sanctuary.” He’s mouth quirked up just a little. 

Keith smirked, standing up straight again and addressing the baker. “Can I get what’s left of those chocolate treats?” He turned to Shade, bright eyed and beaming. “We can eat a few on the way back and save the rest for her.”

Lance honestly, had no words. He watched as the woman bagged up the pastries and traded the bag for Keith’s coins. “I’m… um…” He cleared his throat and tried again. “That’s a … nice idea? I mean… she’ll like that. She… liked the one I gave her before…” He turned his face away. “She likes you….”

Keith’s head snapped up at that. “Yeah?” He smiled to himself as he dug out a pastry. “I’m surprised. I’ve never really been around kids for an extended period of time, and I was under the impression that they hated me and I didn’t really care for them either… guess I was wrong?...”

“Oh… I didn’t know… that you weren’t fond of them…”  _ Wow _ , Lance was just losing ground all over the place today. “But, yeah, she does. I can tell…” 

“Like I said, I was wrong.” He smiled at Shade as he offered the bag of treats to him. “And, uh, good, I’m glad.” Keith thought about it for a second more. ”Um… how can you tell?” One afternoon with a kid that didn’t really talk didn’t exactly make him well versed in this kind of thing.

Lance slowly took one of the chocolate balls and fiddled with it for a moment as they walked. “Oh, well, she tugged on your leg, for a start. Shroud is actually pretty wary, and doesn’t exactly initiate much contact with anyone but me. Plus, she was mimicking you. Since she can’t talk, she finds other ways to say things.” He finally took a small bite of the treat. 

Keith laughed, a short and soft huff of breath. “Good to know.” They came to a shop on the corner, various outdoor equipment leaned here and there. He stepped into the rather cramped space, checking over his shoulder to make sure they didn’t get separated. “Let me know if you see a tent… or the shopkeeper.”

“Are you still planning to get a single person one, or one that would fit three?” Lance wondered out loud. “I… I mean, it’s none of my business, but I didn’t know what you all had decided…” He closed his mouth and started poking one of the stacks of things, looking for any kind of tent.

“Mmm,” Keith hummed in thought. He hadn’t really thought past his own selfish desires to kick Shiro out of the tent and share with Shade and only Shade. He belatedly worried that it was one sided. “Well… I didn’t really… ask them, but a single would be cheapest… and a three sleeper would be a lot harder to pack and carry, whereas two people can carry a single and a double without it being too hard on either…”

Lance’s head snapped up. “You… didn’t?” Lance was surprised Keith hadn’t mentioned it. “Well… I suppose as long as Hunk and Pidge don’t have to share with me, they won’t really mind what you do. I’m pretty sure Pidge doesn’t like to share…”

Keith laughed. “Yeah, that’s an understatement.” He pointed across the store. “I think that’s one over there.” They pulled down a canvas tent, the shopkeep showing up just in time to take Keith’s money and do none of the lifting. They packed the tent into the sack Keith was carrying as best they could and left the store. “Anything else,” he asked Shade.

Lance brushed his bangs out of his face, and stuck his tongue out at the shopkeeper’s back. “If there is anything else, let’s not get it here.” He glanced over and paused. Keith’s face was slightly red from trying to get the tent to fit inside the small sack, and his hair was a mess. His hand automatically reached out, smoothing the unruly mess back into place. He blinked and snatched his hand back like he’d been burned. “Oh, um… sorry…”

Keith had stilled, shock warring with the ever-present yearning turning in his stomach. His breath stuttered as he answered. “No, it’s alright… um, thank you.” His cheeks were burning.

Lance chewed on his lower lip, as he stared at Keith. His face was still red, but his eyes were bright, and Lance really wanted to just throw caution to the wind and see exactly how close he could get before Keith pushed him away. He’d spent most of the day, watching Keith, be nothing but effortlessly kind to not only Lance, but Narti as well. He’d even gone so far as to replace most of Lance’s gun parts. They felt especially heavy sitting in his coat pocket. He wanted to do something, just  _ something _ to show Keith that despite Lance’s failure with words, that he  _ did  _ appreciate what Keith had done. 

Before he could lose his courage, he took a breath and softly asked. “Um, Keith? Do you mind if I… do something?”

“Whatever you want.” Keith breathlessly answered before Shade had even finished his question, still a little flustered from Shade’s hand in his hair. Whatever Shade wanted, wherever he wanted to go, Keith was ready to follow him to the ends of the earth, he’d buy out every store on the block.

Lance nodded, and took that last step closer, and pulled Keith into a hug. Lance held it for just a breath longer than he’d intended. “I don’t usually do this… but I wanted to thank you… for today….” 

He pulled away and ducked his head, busying himself with the bag of treats and Hunk’s bread, hoping Keith wouldn’t be angry, and hoping that he couldn’t tell Lance’s face was almost redder than Keith’s shirt. 

Keith had to relearn how to function, from his head to his toes, slowly coming back to himself. Words felt funny on his dry tongue. “Y-you’re welcome… it was, uh, my pleasure…” He coughed to cover the waver in his voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today is my youngest brother's 20th birthday, and I feel old lol
> 
> All y'all talking about how much the fluff puts you on edge in the last update, here's another one lol two chapters of fluff with almost no angst :) How about that chapter opening though??? Lindsay wrote it for me when I was sick and it wasn't really supposed to be part of the fic but I thought it was so funny, it needed to be. 
> 
> Thank you guys so much for all the support and kind words, you really mean a lot to us!!!
> 
> <3 Holly


	15. We'll Find a Way

“Ah, boys, if you don’t mind giving me a moment?” Coran paused, a warm smile on his face. He moved into the room, eyes idly tracking over the various items the two were sorting through. “I wished to speak to you about something.”

“Alright…” Lance shifted in his spot in the floor. He kept his eyes on the tent they had been trying to untangle from all the clothes Keith had bought. 

Coran smiled, and settled in a chair. “I have invited Allura to stay here for a couple of evenings. I am aware that you caught the one that took her, but I am still concerned. However, there is the slight matter of sleeping arrangements…”

Lance glanced at Keith, who was watching Coran with a slight frown on his face. “That’s not a problem. Allura can have my room.” It made sense after all. Pidge was sharing with Hunk, and Keith was sharing with Shiro. It was easiest for him to find somewhere else to sleep, and then Allura would have her own space. 

Something in Coran’s face shifted, his smile grew just a bit wider, slightly more mischievous. “She has already agreed to stay with us all, and while you are correct, it would be a simple solution for her to take your room…. I had something else in mind.”

Keith’s brows furrowed. “What does that mean…” he asked warily. Coran was odd and they were still trying to get used to his quirks. It set Keith on edge to note that this was an expression he had yet to see from the man.

“I was thinking that this would be an excellent opportunity for Allura and Shiro to… become better acquainted. I am aware that I am meddling, but it is obvious to all of us that boy is very infatuated with my niece. I felt that… perhaps you two might be willing to assist me in this?”

Lance felt that nervous tension from before fill his shoulders. He knew what Coran was asking, but… could Lance do what he was asking? He’d shared a room with Keith before, twice in fact, but never with only one bed between them. “I-I um… that is…”

Coran looked from the stammering Shade to the red-faced Keith, and hid a smirk. He had a fondness for matchmaking, and while he was sincere in his wish to help Allura out, he wasn’t going to exactly miss the opportunity to throw these two together either. “I am aware that it is a rather outlandish suggestion, but they are both so stubborn you see…”

“Well… if you really think this is the best way…” Keith started, dedicatedly keeping his eyes on Coran and not on the man sitting next to him. “I guess, I don’t mind. It won’t be that different from sharing a tent.” Except there’d be no brother figure inches away. Except there would be solid walls between them and the others. Except there’d be no layers of sleep stuff between them, but surrounding them… together. In every way was this different from sharing a tent.

Lance blinked, and shut his mouth with an audible click of his teeth. He remembered quite clearly exactly how their last attempt at sharing a tent had ended up. But, maybe if Lance slept on the floor, it wouldn’t be too bad. He wouldn’t exactly mind waking up the same way he had before, but he felt almost guilty for being so excited about something that was supposed to be for the benefit of someone else. “Y-yeah, sure, Coran. You can just tell them… I uh… went to sleep early…. To rest my leg or something.” One of these days, Lance was going to sit down and have a long talk with some of the higher powers about his shit luck. 

Coran smiled, patting Shade on the shoulder a little harder than he had intended. “Ah, my thanks, gentlemen! I am certain that this will indeed work out well for them.” Coran already knew that he was going to tell Allura and Shiro the exact same story that he had these two. Sometimes, young people just needed a proper push.

…..

Lance stared at the bed in frustration. When he’d mentioned to Keith that he’d just sleep on the floor, Keith had vetoed that idea so quickly Lance wasn’t even sure he’d managed to get the entire offer out. Keith had glared, in that way he did whenever he thought Lance was being absurd, and slowly explained that it would be bad for his leg and that they were grown adults. He’d also laughed before saying it was better than sleeping with Shiro, and Lance didn’t have any way to argue that.

So here he was, staring at a bed that now seemed very small, while Keith wrapped himself in the small pile of blankets Coran had insisted Lance use. He took his time, setting his coat over a chair, and tugging nervously on his soft new shirt. He settled down, laying on the edge of the bed, back facing Keith and quietly prayed that nothing weird would happen. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep his distance from Keith. Lance liked him too much, now, and it was probably going to cause problems later on. 

Keith tried not to tense with every dip and creak of the bed beneath them, but every nerve in his body was screaming. He’d barely kept things normal when they shared the tent. You know, if you could call watching someone sleeping normal. He was quickly regretting just how many blankets were wrapped around him, the heat starting to make him sweat. Definitely the blankets and not anything else...

It took a long while for Lance to fall asleep, too overly aware of the very small space between them, and of each shift Keith made. At some point, he must have slept because when he woke up, the room was completely dark, and Lance was shivering. He shifted, grumbling a bit about blanket thieves, and rolled over, finding himself staring at Keith’s face. It was relaxed in sleep, hair tousled, and Lance wasn't entirely sure that Keith had ever looked better. His hand moved, gently brushing the hair away from Keith's face, before he snapped back to himself.

When had he gotten so comfortable touching Keith? It felt easy and natural, not forced and Lance was starting to look forward for each chance he had to brush his hair from his face. Then there was the hug from earlier… Lance shook his head, trying to chase away the thoughts that were born from Keith’s kindness and Lance’s loneliness and stupid feelings.

He tried to unwrap one of the blankets from the cocoon around Keith, but everytime he started to make some progress, Keith would curl just a little bit tighter. Finally, Lance gave up, and dropped back on the bed with a sigh, much closer than he had been before. He’d tried, and with as heavy as Keith usually slept, he probably wouldn’t even notice Lance laying a bit closer to leech some of the heat from him. He shifted himself a little closer, hoping to catch a bit of the warmth from Keith, before he let sleep take him again.

Keith wasn’t sure exactly what woke him up. He was warm, and comfortable, and he stubbornly kept his eyes closed, trying to drift back off when something near him twitched slightly. It was a foreign feeling and that was what had Keith’s eyes cracking open. There, inches from his face, was Shade’s. His eyes shot open, and he was partially aware of the breath he was holding. Every curse and praise Keith knew was rushing through his head. Keith had always thought Shade was handsome, but like this, with the worry and lines of tension eased from his features, he was breathtaking. Keith started to reach out without thinking, but his arms were immediately met with resistance. He slowly pulled an arm free of the blanket trap, his hand hovering over Shade’s face. Was this weird? This was definitely weird.

Shade shivered once, little tremors rippling across his limbs. Keith frowned, silently berating himself for hoarding the blankets. He kept his eyes trained on Shade, watching for any sign of him waking, and pulled more than half of the blankets covering him over Shade, gently tucking a corner around his shoulder.

The sky was still dark outside. Keith wasn’t sure what time it was, but he knew he had some time before anyone needed him, and he was determined to stay just like this for as long as possible. The bed was warm and cozy, Shade was close and looked so serene, and Keith felt like this was where he was meant to be. He allowed his thoughts to follow that train, sleepiness too easy an excuse for himself. He watched the slow rise and fall of the blankets covering Shade. He memorized the soft color of his lips and the barely there freckles on his cheeks. He smiled, eyelids heavy, and not for the first time, he fell asleep with Shade’s face burned into his retinas.

Lance’s brow wrinkled, but his eyes stayed closed, as he shifted just a bit toward the warmth that was so close. It was rare that Lance actually wanted to stay asleep, but something about the warm soft bed, and the comforting blankets… Lance’s eyes snapped open. He blinked rapidly, face going first white then a deep red. He was covered in several blankets, blankets that had earlier been wrapped around Keith. His face was close, so close Lance could feel each exhale.  _ Oh… hells.  _

Keith was still sound asleep, but he had to have woken up at some point to spread the blankets over Lance. A part of Lance melted at the consideration while another part of him, that overly hopeful part that seemed to read far too much into each of Keith’s actions, started screaming that maybe Lance should try waking Keith up again, but with a kiss this time. 

Lance actually shifted closer just a bit, before he caught himself and pulled back sharply, cursing everything from Coran’s good meaning meddling, to his own weakness and even Keith’s stupidly attractive face. Unsurprisingly, Lance was out of bed and ready to leave in record time, but he paused, hand curled around the doorknob, as he looked back over his shoulder at the man still sleeping in that bed. He tried everything he could think of to convince himself it was a very bad idea, but he let himself move his hand from the door to the little table, pulling out the drawer as quietly as he could. 

Lance only left after he was sure Keith would find the little note he’d written purely on instinct. Even if it was a bad idea, Lance could avoid the whole thing for the entire day. He’d be spending the whole day at the sanctuary with Narti, and maybe… maybe, he could let himself consider the possibility that… he could  _ maybe _ have this...

Keith woke to sunlight streaming through the window. He was warm and so much more well rested than he’d been in a long time. He stretched, his back popping satisfyingly. He let his body go limp once more, just enjoying the comfort and quiet before he rolled over. It took a couple moments for Keith to realize he wasn’t in the room he’d been sharing with Shiro, but Keith shot up, brow furrowed. The memory of falling asleep next to Shade flooded his mind. Suddenly the quiet just seemed lonely.

Keith’s shoulders slumped and he sat there in a puddle of blankets wondering if he’d ever get to wake up next to Shade or if he was going to always run him off just by existing. He flopped back onto the pillows, but froze when felt something sharp poke his scalp. Keith flinched away, grabbing at the small puncture. On Shade’s pillow was a scrap of paper, pinned down with the needle Keith had seen Shade with before.

The letters were neat, obviously written carefully.  _ ‘Keith. Sorry to cut out without a goodbye, but I wanted to meet Shroud at the Sanctuary. I’ll be there all day. See you later, partner.’ _

Keith read and reread the short message. Well, at least there was a reason he was waking up alone. Keith blanched; Shade was not his. They weren’t together, they’d barely hugged. There was no reason for Keith to feel left behind, they were just… partners. Keith groaned and flopped back down onto his side of the bed and pulled the covers over his head. He at least hoped Shroud enjoyed the gifts Shade had for her, and he found it hard to continue to mope when he imagined her warm in her new coat and sharing treats with Shade.

….

Shiro kept pacing across the main room. Both hands were tucked behind his back and he was frowning. Pidge, kept looking from Shiro, who was visibly tense to Keith who was actually watching Shiro with a small smile curled on his face. Pidge had a feeling that Keith knew more about Shade’s odd behavior than he was letting on. 

“Forgive me, but I do not understand what has you so upset Shiro. Please, will you not sit down with us?” Allura spoke softly, repeating her offer for a third time. 

“He’s worried about Shade.” Hunk stated softly, eyes following Shiro. “He hasn’t been here all day.” 

That was the reason why Shiro was pacing after all. Because Shade had been gone the entire day, and all they knew was that he was at the Sanctuary. Oh, Pidge understood Shiro’s quiet order to make sure one of them was with him at all times, but she didn’t think not telling Shade was a wise decision. But, Shiro had been confident, and look where they were now. 

The door opened and five sets of eyes turned to see not only Shade but Coran too. Shade had a wide smile on his face, which was covered in dirt, and was in the middle of telling Coran some story. Both of them were carrying a box. 

“... doing really well. She’s just… so smart, Coran.” He looked up, smile still present. “Hi! Sorry if we’re late, but Coran wanted to get a few things.” Lance moved, setting the box carefully on the table. 

Keith couldn’t help the infectious smile. He knew the other’s had questions, he’d been dodging them all day with half truths and noncommittal shrugs, but he also knew there wasn’t really a way of answering them without bringing up Shroud, so Keith quickly went to help clear a path for Shade and Coran. “What’s in the --”

But Shiro was two steps ahead of him. “Shade, I thought we were a team.” Keith winced at the tone, not exactly harsh, but the one that made Keith wish he was being yelled at instead. The one where he always felt like he’d let Shiro down. Shiro stood, arms crossed and a look caught somewhere between stern and hurt.

Lance froze at the tone, hands still curled around the edge of the box. He wasn’t entirely sure why, but he felt like a little kid caught stealing cookies. “Um… yes?” His eyes darted from Coran to Shiro, confused. “Like I said… I’m sorry if we’re late…. But Coran wanted to make us dinner…”

“Teammates don’t disappear on each other without any explanation.” Shiro’s arms dropped. “We were really worried about you.”

Confused, Lance took a step back, shoulders slowly raising up, defensively. “I was at the Sanctuary. Both Keith and Allura knew that….”

“I did try and explain that….” Allura offered quietly.

Lance shoved both hands into his pockets. “I didn’t realize that I was supposed to tell you where I was, Shiro.” 

Shiro sighed. “I just… worry about you, Shade. After the whole Rolo thing, I don’t like you going off by yourself. We had no idea what you were doing all day or when you’d be back, and what if something happened to you? None of us would have known, none of us would have been there.”

Lance stared, then bit his lip hard. “That’s… reasonable.” He didn’t exactly look comforted about it though, if anything he looked extremely nervous. He kept glancing at both Keith and Coran, then bit his lip again. “Well…. I um… kind of had to go there today…..”

Coran settled in a chair, willingly giving Lance a wide smile with each glance, and eventually Lance mumbled something very quietly under his breath. 

“There is no way, anyone heard what you just said.” 

“Pidge!” Hunk clapped a hand over her mouth, and did his best to pretend they were both just part of the room. 

Shiro shot Pidge a look before turning expectantly back to Shade. “Can you repeat that,” he asked kindly, the edge of worrying visibly wearing off now that Shade was safe and in front of him.

Lance swallowed, looking almost more nervous than he had before. “I…” He wasn’t exactly sure this was a good idea, in fact he was pretty sure it was a terrible idea. “I think… it would be better… to just show you…” He needed a damn minute besides. “I’ll um… just… be right back….” He disappeared a second later. 

Keith tried not to smile so hard, but he reasoned he was already keeping in line just by not shoving his way through to the front of the group while Shiro, Pidge and Hunk shared looks of confusion and curiosity.

“Uncle? Do you know what Shade’s talking about?” Allura leaned across the table, smiling winningly at Coran. 

“I do, however, I only learned about it today. I will not be telling you though, I gave my word to keep it a secret.”

When Lance reappeared, his arms were crossed and he was frowning slightly. He outright glared at everyone, before he finally spoke up. “It’s okay, come on.” Despite his scowl, his tone was very soft. 

Wary eyes peered out from the edge of Lance’s coat, and she slowly poked her head out enough to take a look at the group before her head vanished again under the coat. 

“This is my sister. Happy now?”

“Sister,” Shiro exclaimed. “What sister?”

Keith moved Shiro out of his way and crouched down a little in front of Shade. He poked at the lump under his jacket and laughed when it squirmed away. “Hey.”

Lance kept his eyes on Shiro, even when Keith moved to poke at Shroud. “The sister I went to see today. I call her Shroud.” He scowled one more time, when a sharp tug drew his attention. 

Shroud had peeked out again, the little leaf barrette glinting in the low lamp light. Her face was slightly dirty, just like his was. One hand was curled tightly in his pant leg, and the other waved shyly at Keith, before she tugged on her little coat, trying to show Keith without actually stepping away from her hiding spot. It was honestly adorable and Lance was not ready to see Keith being sweet to Narti in person. He may as well die now. 

“I like your barrette,” Keith said, soft as the smile on his face. “And your coat looks so warm. Shade got you such nice things, do you like them?” Keith peeked up at Shade from where he was crouched.

Lance met Keith’s eyes for just a second, aware of his racing heart before he glanced to the side, lip held between his teeth. He’d been right. He was  _ not _ ready to see Keith, speak to her so gently. To crouch on her level and treat her like a real person. He still thought this was an absolutely terrible idea, but… he felt a little better about it seeing Keith talk to Shroud. He  _ hated  _ it when people acted like she wasn’t there. He was anxious for the rest of the team’s reactions, and that mixed with his nerves and the sight of Keith and Narti, left him feeling like an absolute mess inside. 

Shroud let go of Lance’s leg to cover her face with both hands. She nodded before peeking through her fingers at Keith once more before a slight clatter had her ducking out of sight again. 

Pidge had wide eyes, and her cup had completely tipped over. Her mouth was hanging open and she kept pointing from Shroud to Keith, and sputtering. Hunk was only slightly better, as he at least managed to keep his mouth closed. 

Lance didn’t even bother to look at Allura or Shiro, instead directing his attention to Narti. “Hey now, little Shroud. Come on… Come back out and show Keith your pretty coat properly…” He tried to coax her back out as he nervously glanced at Shiro.

Keith glanced at the others, but quickly turned back to Shroud. “It’s ok, they’re a lot nicer than they look.” He gave her a soft smile. “You can come out, we won’t let anyone hurt you.” He tipped his head in Shade’s direction.

“She’s… not used to people…” Lance murmured, not really to anyone in particular. He tugged on his coat, earning a frown from Narti. “Well, are you going to show him your coat? He’s waiting right here just to see it.” 

Shroud slowly came out from underneath the coat, not moving more than a step from Lance, but that was normal. She kept looking up at him, before she finally, looked at Keith, and tugged on her coat again. 

Keith bit back a laugh. “It looks great. Is it warm?” Keith reached forward and tugged gently on one of the sleeves. 

She nodded again, a shy smile on her face. Then she abruptly held out her arms, showing that the sleeves were just a bit too long, and waved them a couple of times. 

“She likes it, and is glad it will fit for a while….” Lance offered softly. 

He let himself laugh then. “Good.” He could feel Shiro’s disbelief radiating off him. Honestly, had you told him just a couple weeks ago that he’d not only be hanging around a small child, but enjoying it, he would have laughed in your face. Shroud still seemed wary of the others, and Keith couldn’t help but see Shade in her set shoulders and sharp eyes. “You have a pretty great big brother taking care of you. Did you know I have one of those too?” He pointed over his shoulder at Shiro, who waved sheepishly. “He’s not too bad either,” he teased. “But he took care of me, so I promise, he’s safe, alright? Everyone here is.”

Shroud’s eyes followed Keith’s movement over toward Shiro, her head slowly tilted back, all the way until she was looking up at his face before her eyes grew wide and she shook her head several times. 

“He’s right….” Lance stated, one hand settling on Narti’s head. “In fact, I’m going to go talk to him, so you can see.” He glanced at Keith, then took two steps to the side, just out of Narti’s reach, and stared at Shiro. 

Shiro managed to tear his gaze from such an unlikely sight. He met Shade’s eyes, his face still retaining the shock of not only finding out that Shade had a… sister, but also that Keith wasn’t immediately running in the other direction. “I, uh… she’s... “ He couldn’t quite decide what he wanted to ask. A laugh from the other side of the room caught his attention as he glanced back at Keith and the small girl. “How did Keith know about her, and why didn’t we know about her? Where has she been this whole time?”

Lance’s eyes darted from Shiro, to Narti, then to the opposite side of the room, watching as Coran and Allura moved into the kitchen. Bless that man, Lance was going to make sure to thank him later. 

“Keith met her in Kassis.” Lance’s tone was much harder now than it had been when talking to Shroud. “She’s been there, being looked after. But…” He turned his head away. “I didn’t realize I’d be… sticking with you all, so I told him to bring her here, so she could stay with me from now on.  I didn’t tell you because I don’t tell anyone about her. She’s not old enough to keep herself safe.”

Shroud had been watching Lance, before she turned her eyes back to Keith, and rummaged around in her pocket. She shyly held out her hand to him, one of those small chocolate pastries in it. 

Keith’s eyes widened. “What’s this for? That’s your treat, you should eat it.”

She shook her head, tugged on her coat and pointed at Keith. 

“For me?” He couldn’t help the slight furrow of his brows. “I had some when we got those for you. This one is --” He stopped at the look on her face, his words cut off with a small snort. “Alright, alright. How about we split it?”

Her head tilted, and she frowned a little as she looked at the chocolate ball before she finally nodded, placing it carefully in his hand. 

Lance was too damn weak, because he could not watch the two of them any longer. He turned back to face Shiro, biting hard on the inside of his lip. He shook his head to help focus before he asked, “is this… too much?”

Shiro watched the two for a moment longer. “What we do can be dangerous. It’s not exactly the life for a child, but… I brought Keith into the life not much older, and if I were in your shoes… I don’t think I could bring myself to leave her behind.”

Lance shook his head. “I found her in Galra Town after a hunt, Shiro. I won’t leave her… I can’t.” He hoped Shiro knew what he meant by that. He turned, and held out one arm. “Come here, Shroud.”

She smiled, first at Keith, then at Lance before darting across the space and curling next to his leg. She again tilted her head back to look up at Shiro, but this time, waved shyly. 

Shiro tried to hide the storm of emotions running through him. He held up his hand, attempting a smile before giving Shade a knowing look. He cleared his throat and mimicked Keith’s crouch from earlier, looking Shroud in the eye. “It’s very nice to meet you, Shroud. I’m glad Shade brought you.” He smiled brightly and held out his hand. “You’ll make an excellent addition to the team.”

She looked from Shiro’s hand to Lance and back several times, before she smiled just a little but didn’t move any closer. Still, Lance ruffled her hair. “That’s Pidge, and the guy next to her is Hunk. Hunk looks big but he’s really nice, like Shiro and Keith. Pidge is nice too.” Lance glared warningly at her, but she was too busy smirking at Keith to notice. 

“I, um… should probably take her back now…”

Keith’s head snapped towards them at that. He hadn’t been in the sanctuary, but he’d had his share of unfortunate living recently, and he couldn’t bare the thought of little Shroud having to go back there. “Or… I mean… she could stay here…” He cleared his throat, leaning against the table.

Pidge promptly snorted, and started snickering, ignoring Hunk’s efforts to stop her. “Oh…? Like kids that much do you?”

Lance’s mouth was slightly open, as he stared at Keith. Shroud however, grinned and started nodding.

“Turns out this whole time I thought I couldn’t be around kids, I was unfairly judging them off the only other person I know that size,” he shot back at her, teasing. He smiled down at Shroud. “Yeah? You want to stay here tonight? Coran is housing a lot of people right now, so you’ll have to share a bed with Shade. Just give me a minute to clear my things out.”

Lance opened his mouth but Pidge beat him to it. “You’d have to share with Keith too.” Her tone was slightly softer than usual. “He has to stay there because there’s nowhere else, and you don’t want him to be cold, do you?” 

Lance glared at Pidge, but Shroud shook her head several times.  _ Damnit Pidge. _ Lance was going to do something to pay her back for this. “I… uh… Okay, you stop.” He pointed at Pidge. Then he pointed at Shroud. “You, if you stay, you have to share. And same goes for you.” He pointed at Keith. Then he sighed. “I feel like Shiro….”

Keith made a face at Pidge, nudging Shroud to encourage her to do the same. He ended up laughing half way through their matching looks. He was nervous as hell, but he’d survived one night sharing a bed with Shade already, it probably couldn’t be any harder with Shroud, right? “You ready for bed, Little One?”

She shook her head, before tugging on Lance’s pant leg. When she had his full attention, something that never took long, she made a face, and brought both hands up, curling her fingers, before she fake swiped at him a couple of times, then pouted up at him. 

“Really? You want a story? That one?” Lance chuckled. “Alright. Alright. One story, then bed.”

“A story,” Keith asked, eyebrows raised. “What kind of story could that have possibly been,” he laughed.

Lance smirked. “Shroud likes dinosaurs. She was mimicking one. It’s her favorite.” 

Keith balked. “Dinosaurs?” Keith shook his head before looking down towards Shroud. “How do you know about dinosaurs?”

Shroud pouted at him while Lance laughed. “Slav showed them to her in one of his books. She spent three days pretending to be one after that.” He paused then went ahead and finished the story despite the shocked look Shiro had. “She stalked crickets in the grass.”

Keith’s eyes crinkled as he laughed. He crouched down once more. “Did you know that some dinosaurs were taller than Coran’s house? Shiro and I worked a job for a man that digs up their bones, and we got to see one all pieced back together.” He lowered his head, speaking just above a whisper. “So big that they could…. EAT YOU UP!” Keith tickled Shroud as he raised his voice, words broken by laughter. He picked her up and swung her to his shoulders. “Now let’s put you in bed so Shade can tell you your story.”

Lance stared as Narti laughed silently and even settled her hands around Keith when he picked her up.  _ Fuck _ , he was so so screwed having them both there, being too damned cute. He glanced around the room, surprised to see Hunk and Pidge already gone and Shiro inching his way toward the kitchen. 

He sighed, and followed Keith up the stairs. “Are you… sure you don’t mind? I mean… it won’t take too long… I don’t… want to keep you up…” He was so far gone that he hadn’t even let himself think about how the three of them would sleep. 

“It’s fine,” Keith huffed as he rolled Shroud off his shoulders and onto the bed. He straightened, looking at Shade. “I don’t mind hearing a story.” He bit his cheek and averted his eyes, busying himself with redistributing the blankets on the bed.

Shroud burrowed into the blankets and one little hand caught Keith’s sleeve, tugging a bit, as she pointed at the wall. 

“Oh… um… well… I don’t just… tell her a story… I show her one too…” Lance turned his back to Keith and Shroud, slipping his coat off and moving the lamp from the corner. “It’s more… like a play… because… I make the pictures with my shadows...”

Keith froze, mid pulling off a boot, and nearly fell over. “Well, this I gotta see.” He finished getting himself ready for bed, helped Shroud out of her coat, and then climbed into the bed, propped against the headboard.

Shroud settled, leaning mostly on the pillow and partly on Keith. She shifted a couple of times, then just outright wiggled around until her head was on his stomach, eyes fixed on the wall. When Lance turned back around his heart nearly stopped at the sight. His sweet Narti was laying on Keith, much like she usually did him. He was glad that she felt comfortable around Keith, he really did, he was just shocked at how quickly she’d taken to him, and how unprepared he apparently was for it. 

He cleared his throat, and prudently closed the door so that they didn't bother anyone else. “Alright. Shroud’s story is in a special park, full of dinosaurs, because a man, who was very smart found a way to make them live again.” He lowered his voice a bit, letting the shadows drift along the wall for both to see. 

“But… the dinosaurs got loose, and they were oh, so hungry.” He ducked a bit, letting a shadow make a large shape, and showed it chasing around several little person sized ones. He made different shapes, based on what he had seen in Slav’s book. He continued his story, keeping his attention on the wall, telling about one with teeth as big as Shroud, and how it chased the carriages, how the people hid high in the trees so that only the nice dinosaurs could reach them. 

Shroud shifted a little closer, yawning before she let her head rest fully on Keith’s stomach. She had a content smile on her face, as her eyes followed the shadows on the wall. 

Keith felt like a child again; like he had when Shiro would tell him stories of all the places he’d been before they met. He was enraptured. His head whipped from shadow to shadow, completely engrossed in what Shade was saying. When Shroud settled, he absentmindedly smoothed her hair.

Lance cleared his throat a little and continued on, letting his voice rise and fall, keeping the shapes moving along the wall to illustrate what he was saying. He told about the wise man that was keeping the little girl safe from the dinosaurs. He told about them running in fields, the shadows moving and turning along the wall. Even though Narti almost always fell asleep before the end, Lance always tended to finish the entire story, because he had to keep most of his attention on the shadows and not her. But it was very difficult to do that when he was so aware of Keith in the room. 

Still, he couldn’t help but show off just a little. “As the brave lady and her helpful hunter tried to make sure the machine that kept the dinosaurs away was turned back on, the hunter made the lady go ahead. He’d seen something. He readied his gun, because it was his job to make sure that none of the dinosaurs could hurt her…” He glanced over his shoulder, satisfied that Shroud was actually asleep before he carried on, embellishing in a way he didn’t usually. “So he moved through the thick trees and plants, slowly getting closer to the one he could just barely see through the leaves. He brought his special gun up, was careful to take aim, because, he only had one chance… when…”

Lance dropped his tone a little more, resting his hand on the wall to insure that the shapes were exactly right. “Right before the brave hunter could take his shot, another one, popped her head out of the leaves right next to him! All he could do was be impressed by her trick.  _ ‘Clever girl…’  _ Then she jumped!”

Keith’s shoulders lurched, his stomach tightening in reaction to the surprise. He quickly glanced down to make sure he hadn’t disturbed Shroud, but she was sound asleep. Keith wasted no time in returning his attention to Shade. “Holy shit,” he breathed. He liked this story, he liked the way Shade told it, how animated he became. Keith watched the focused set of his eyes and the quirk of his lips at certain lines. Keith swallowed and tried to refocus on the story and not the storyteller. 

Lance’s mouth curled up at the soft exclamation, pleased that Keith seemed to be enjoying the story he’d made up for Narti. At first, he’d felt very self conscious, but he was much more relaxed now, as he let the shapes on the wall show the little group of people running here and there through the huge building trying to get away from the dinosaurs. 

Keith sat a little straighter. Hanging on Shade’s every word and movement. He held his breath when one of the dinosaurs was snapping at the girl’s feet. They were surrounded now, and Keith was sure this would be the end for their heroes, and he chewed his cheek as he listened. Just when he was expecting the final carnage, Shade slid out of the way to reveal a huge shape lurching forward and snatching up the dinosaur so close to attacking. “W-wait…” Keith looked from Shade to the shadows and back again.

Lance actually paused, the shapes on the wall freezing as he turned to look at Keith. “Hmm? Oh… I got carried away huh… Sorry…”

“How did the big one get in the building?” Keith’s eyebrows pulled together as he observed the shadows frozen on the wall quizzically.

The question made Lance grin. “It’s a story, Keith. How did any of them really get in the building? Besides, I make sure every story I tell Shroud has a happy ending even if it doesn’t make sense.” 

Keith frowned. “Alright, I mean --” he glanced at Shroud. “Well luckily she’s asleep, so your improbable ending is fine,” Keith teased.

“Says the one sitting on his ass listening to said story.” Lance countered, rolling his eyes, as he picked up the lamp to return it to the table. “Sorry about her just, passing out on you like that…”

Keith chuckled. “It’s fine. She’s… sweet.” He watched Shade move around the room. “And I think we both really enjoyed the story. Thank you, Shade.”

Lance bit at his lip, eyes on Shroud as he moved over toward the bed, and settled down, leaning close to Keith to scoop Shroud up and let her curl on his chest. “Thanks… for listening. You’re the sweet one…”

Keith choked on his tongue. “N- uh, you’re welcome,” he coughed out. Sweet? His cheeks were on fire as he pulled the covers up to hide them. “I don’t think anyone has ever called me sweet… Pidge and Shiro would be fighting you right now.”

Lance leaned back, Narti’s head on his arm. “Pidge would fight me if I said you were an asshole. She likes to fight. No one, who treats Shroud like you did, is anything but sweet.” He turned his face away, and tried to make things less awkward. “I mean, you  _ can  _ be an asshole…”

Keith bust up laughing before clapping a hand over his mouth, remembering he was next to a sleeping child. “Yeah, that’s fair.” He rolled until he was facing Shade, but burrowed into the blankets a little further. “You’re, um, pretty sweet too…”

Lance’s face burned and he threw out an arm, smacking Keith on the shoulder. “S-stop that! Just… go to sleep!” He buried his own face in Narti’s hair and tried to will his embarrassment away. It did not work. 

Keith huffed a fond laugh. The space between them seemed so much further yet so much closer than the night before, and Keith tried to evade the thoughts of all the things that could happen if Shroud wasn’t between them. Keith mentally kicked himself. If he was more man, he’d lean over Shroud and kiss Shade goodnight like he’d wanted every night for too long now. The frustrating thought lingered until sleep finally claimed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAHHHHHHH THIS CHAPTER AM I RIGHT??!!! Just kill me with all that fluff!!! I'm still laughing at all y'all constantly freaking out in the comments about how much fluff there's been and how little angst and how terrible things must be coming XD
> 
> Anyway, props to Lindsay on figuring out how to sneak in our usual easter egg, this idea was way better than mine. And if you hate that recurring nod to one of the greatest movies ever made, you can blame me lol
> 
> [ALSO CHECK OUT THIS AMAZING ART BY JAS/ONESMOLHURT!!!!](http://onesmolhurt.tumblr.com/post/172761658929/commission-for-joinmeinthishell-and-their-shared)
> 
> And thank you for all the comments and kudos, you guys are the best!!!
> 
> <3Holly


	16. Sweet Dreams Til Sunbeams Find You

A dropping jerking sensation, like that of missing a stair, rocked through Keith, causing him to nearly topple over the edge of the bed. It took a moment for him to really register his surroundings and accept that he was awake for some reason. His stomach mildly ached in one spot, and Keith turned his head to see the culprit of his too early waking.

Somehow, Shroud had turned, so that she was facing Keith, one foot stretched out, and resting on his stomach, while little fingers were tucked behind her, curled in Shade’s shirt. Shade however, was still asleep despite all the movement. His body was curled around Shroud, hair just brushing Keith’s side, while one arm was wrapped around the little girl between them. 

Keith felt his heart grip at the sight. He really was beautiful asleep and peaceful. Keith’s whole body tensed at that thought. Fuck. He panicked for several moments realizing just how much he’d fallen for this man. The downright adorable image of Shade and Shroud cuddled together and sleeping, no cares in the world, warm and safe, it was enough to kill him, he was sure. He felt like he was dying anyway. 

He let his heart rate slow, trying to match Shroud’s deep breathing. The soft morning light coming through the window made the two glow, golden and unreal. Keith was struggling to believe he’d done anything in his life to deserve this moment. Maybe all of this was a dream? Keith reached out slowly and brushed the hair from Shade’s face, letting his fingers trace down his temple and to his neck. It had to be a dream, Keith was positive he’d been cursed to always wake to an empty bed.

Lance’s face twitched at the light touch, as his eyes slowly opened, blinking. He wasn’t sure when the last time he’d slept so deeply. He groaned, back sore from being curled around Narti all night. He turned his head just a bit, staring up at Keith. “Oh… ‘morning...”

Keith froze, hand still resting on Shade’s warm skin. “Uh, m-morning…” Shit.

“Mmm….” Lance yawned, one hand coming up to rub at his face, before he moved it to rub at his neck. His fingers found another pair that he’d been too sleepy and comfortable to notice before. For a second, he froze, hand still brushing the back of those fingers, before his eyes darted up to Keith. “Um…”

“S-sorry,” Keith hurried to spit out, face on fire as he began to pull his fingers back. God, Shade was going to think he was a creep.

Really, if Lance was smart, he would nod, let it go, pretend it never happened. But, Lance was well aware that he was an absolute idiot. Which was likely why he'd let his own hand catch Keith's before it pulled completely away. “It’s… fine. I..” Lance swallowed, bit his lip and mentally said;  _ fuck it _ . “I don’t mind if you touch me….” He was an idiot. A  _ damned  _ idiot. 

Keith felt something sharp and heavy in his gut at Shade’s words. He knew his cheeks were red and his eyes wide, but he bit the inside of his cheek and settled his hand back against Shade’s neck. He swallowed and finally gave in. He let his eyes linger, and his thumb just barely sweep across Shade’s pulse point. He tried not to hyper focus on the fact that Shade barely tolerated being touched most of the time, and what this meant, and just let himself enjoy it for a moment. “I -- this is alright,” he whispered, letting more weight ease into his hand, allowing his shoulder to relax.

Lance nodded, just a bit, the movement awkward, since he was still laying down. “Y - yeah. I…  um…” He glanced down at Narti, content in knowing she could and would sleep almost deeper than Keith could, before he let his eyes shift back up to Keith. “I’m uh, probably going to ruin something here… but…”

He took a breath and made himself relax under the touch. “I… like it… when you touch me…” His face was on fire, and he was sure he’d ruined everything but it felt too good to say, like a weight off his chest. 

There was that fire in Keith’s belly once more. How was it that just a few words from Shade could affect him so much? His mouth was suddenly dry and he tried hard to swallow. His fingers twitched where they rested, all he wanted to do was use that small point of contact to bring Shade’s mouth to his. “I… I like it too… You, um, can touch me too… If you want.”

Lance bit his lip, hard, but it did absolutely nothing to keep his thought in his head where it belonged. “How? Touch you… how?” He let his hand drift up, bushing Keith’s cheek. “L-like this?”

Keith’s eyes closed for a fraction of a second. Shade was going to be the death of him. He took a deep breath. “Y-yeah, that’s… that’s perfect.”  _ You’re perfect _ , Keith thought.

Lance said nothing for several minutes, just let his fingers brush softly along Keith’s face. His skin was soft, like his hair and Lance was convinced he was imagining this entire thing. It was really the only thing that made sense. He was imagining it all. “I’m going to be pissed, when I wake up….”

Keith laughed, eyebrows raising. “This is a dream? That makes so much more sense.” He let his fingers card through the hair at the nape of Shade’s neck. “I could never be this lucky awake,” He murmured.

Lance hummed his agreement, absently tucking Shroud’s leg back under the blankets, before he reached back up again, this time letting his hand brush Keith’s hair away from his face. “But, since it is just a dream, or my imagination… then you won’t mind if I do something?”

Keith nodded, feeling Shade’s fingers bump against him as he did. “Whatever you want,” he breathed.

Lance let his finger curl just a bit, to slowly encourage Keith to lean down, until his lips just brushed Keith’s cheek, as he leaned up, not enough to disturb Narti, but enough so that he could whisper in his ear. 

“I like you… so much more than I should… More than I’m probably allowed….”

Keith couldn’t help the sharp intake of air. He’d dreamt of Shade saying and doing a lot of things, but he’d never once felt like this. This felt too real. He felt like his heart had cracked open and his insides were liquefying. 

Lance let his eyes close, mouth still close to Keith’s ear as he admitted, very very softly. “I want to tell you things.. Secrets… I want you… to know my name… but… not in a dream….”

Keith bit his lip hard enough to bleed, his eyes widening. This wasn’t something he remembered ever dreaming before. Keith felt the soft strands of hair tickle the pads of his finger, the taste of copper on the tip of his tongue. He gripped Shade’s hair, just tight enough to sting and tipped his head back. When Shade hissed, it was confirmed. “I don’t think we’re dreaming,” he whispered, lips so close to Shade’s.

_ Fuck! Shit, hells and damnation! _ The sting on the back of Lance’s neck, along with the feel of Keith’s breath across his lips, was driving that point home.  _ Fuck. _ Lance let his hand fall from Keith’s hair, eyes wide as he stared up at the eyes that were so close to his own. His eyes darted all over Keith’s face as he had a silent little wave of panic. He’d said… and he’d admitted… oh  _ Damnit! _

“I… um…” It was instinct to start to back away, to pull back into himself, but he was so tired of that. Of living that way. He’d known since that night at the river his life was going to have to change… maybe… this could be part of it…

He closed his eyes, unwilling to actually see the reaction when he spoke next. “Then… ask me.”

Keith’s breath caught in his chest. He leaned his head down until their foreheads were touching. “Please… tell me your name,” Keith barely managed to get out.

Lance swallowed the lump in his throat, his mouth suddenly dry. “My name is… it’s… I’m…” He struggled to get the last word out, finally breathing his name. “Lance…”

“Lance --” Keith said it like a prayer. “Can I kiss you, Lance?”

_ Fuck _ . He shivered, just a bit at hearing it out loud. The thought that Keith wanted to, used his  _ name…  _ he honestly had no words. “I.. if you want to…”

The words had barely left Lance’s mouth before Keith was pressing his lips to it. It was nothing like the dreams he’d had, Keith realized, it was so much better. Lance’s mouth was soft, and he pressed back into the kiss immediately. For several moments that was all it was - gentle pressure - then Lance relaxed into it, his mouth opened and Keith? Keith burned. 

“L-Lance,” Keith murmured between kisses. “This- this is where you belong. This is what I want… for the rest of my life.” His brows furrowed as he kissed Lance, growing breathless.

Lance had felt like this before. Not often, but he had, usually this was how he felt when he used his shadows too much. Like he was floating, and it was hard to know what was real and what wasn’t. “I..” He didn’t get any farther than that before Keith was kissing him again. The angle was awkward, and Lance was both aware of how close Keith was, and the weight of Narti on his side. “I… you do?”

“Yes! I can’t stop thinking about you, dreaming about you. I was so scared I’d ruined everything and that I’d never see you again, and… I don’t want that to ever happen.” He peppered kisses across Lance’s face, fingers smoothing through his hair.

Lance chewed on his lip, the words echoing in his ears. “I… liked you after Kassis….” He admitted softly. “And seeing you with Shroud… and I..” He shrugged, the movement awkward, as his hands twitched. “I didn’t know… that you felt that way, I thought I was… imagining it.”

“The… the river.” Keith pressed a bruising kiss to Lance’s lips. “I didn’t want to see you go, and… and then you were funny, and kind and… I couldn’t help but like you.”

Lance let his hand twine back into Keith’s hair, as he opened his mouth, when three sharp bangs on the door had him jerking backward hard enough that he fell completely out of the bed. 

“How late do you plan to sleep? Shiro wants us to go to the market, hurry up lazy-asses!” Pidge’s shout was barely muffled by the door. 

The sudden movement, coupled with the banging woke up Shroud who bolted upright, eyes wide. She immediately scrunched up her face at seeing only Keith there with her.

“Shh, it’s ok,” he soothed, frantically sitting up to look over the edge of the bed. “Pidge, go away or I swear I’m going to let strangers steal you away when we go to the market,” he shouted. He looked down again. “Lance,” he hissed. “Are you alright?”

A hand came up and waved back and forth. “They’d bring her right back and likely pay you to take her away from them…” He grumbled, then coughed when Narti jumped off the bed onto him. “Ugh… good morning to you too….” His sigh was loud, but he still sat up and let Narti wrap her arms around his neck and cuddle. 

Narti was similar to Keith as neither seemed to like mornings much, and when Lance was there she was always attached to him for a good while after she woke. Which, was great really, but kind of put a damper on what he had just been doing. 

“Seriously, hurry up, we’re leaving in a few minutes!” Pidge banged on the door one last time. 

“Alright, Gremlin! We’ll be out in a minute,” he called out. Keith let himself flop back onto the bed, a sigh escaping him. “She’s the worst,” he said to himself. He looked over at Lance and smiled despite his irritation with Pidge.

Narti had both arms wrapped around Lance’s neck and her eyes were half closed. She kept rubbing her face into his shoulder. Lance was murmuring soft words into her ear as he held her close before smiling sheepishly over at Keith. “I’m sorry…. I know we were…” He frowned briefly at the top of Narti’s head before he censored his words a little. “Getting closer, but she’s always like this in the mornings. But… I, well…” He rubbed her back before looking back at Keith. “I um… wouldn’t mind… if we… could do it again?” 

“I, uh, yeah, I would like that,” Keith stammered. It was taking a lot of self restraint to not request for again to be right now. The incredibly sweet image of Lance holding Shroud was really the only thing keeping him from being selfish.

Lance nodded. “I’ll… have Coran take Shroud to the Sanctuary then. It’s safer there…”

….

The market was always extra busy in the mornings, full of people calling to shoppers, and of shoppers bartering for their goods. It was a chaotic, noisy experience and Lance hated every single second of it. There were too many people for his liking, and he wasn’t entirely sure why they were all out together anyway.

Keith was pretty sure Shiro had brought them all out here for team bonding, no matter how many times he insisted he had a couple things he needed. Normally Keith would be irritated that they were wandering around shopping for no reason, but he couldn’t get over the childlike interest Lance had in everything. His enthusiasm was infectious and if Keith wasn’t careful, he knew he’d empty his pockets showering him with everything he deserved.

After three stores, one of which Pidge had to be literally dragged out of, Lance was finally started to enjoy the little trip. He was never at the market much anyway and never early enough to actually see everything. Watching Hunk exclaim over food in the exact same way that Pidge did machines, and at one point Lance was convinced Shiro was staring a little too long at a very fancy comb set, was actually kind of fun. 

“Good day to you, sir.” The voice was smooth and overly friendly, but it still made Lance still for just a minute before his shoulders started to raise, and he ducked his head down. 

Shiro glanced around and over his shoulder. As frequently as they had come to this market during their time with Coran, not once had anyone come up to them. Most places they visited seemed to be wary of them, whether it was their appearance or their demeanor, he could never be sure. When he saw no one else that the man could be addressing, Shiro turned back to him. “Hello…”

The man was short, with fine clothes and carefully styled hair. He smiled at each of them, before turning back to Shiro. “I do apologize for troubling you but I wished to know… is that for sale?”

Shiro scowled, confused. He glanced back at his team, but wasn’t entirely sure what the man was talking about. “I’m sorry, I don’t work at any of the shops, so I’m not sure what you’re asking about…”

The man laughed. “Oh, no. My apologies. I meant your unfortunate. Is it for sale?” He still smiled even when Pidge started scowling. “You see, I run an establishment just on the other side of town and I feel it would be an excellent fit there. I’m prepared to pay you well.”

Shiro stiffened as his brain caught up to the horrific words pouring from the man. His metal hand groaned with how tightly it was squeezed. His words were harsh as he bit them out. “Excuse me?” Shiro was only minimally aware of the other’s behind him, but he knew it was only a matter of seconds before all hell would break loose.

“Ah yes, where are my manners…” He nodded, “I am Haxus, and I run the… Pardon, miss, but there is no polite way of saying this. I run the brothel that is just across from the shipyard. As I said I am prepared to pay a very high price…”

The word brothel finally had Keith breaking from his full fledged shock. He and Lance had been passing a bag of pastries back and forth, but he had frozen with the bag clasped in both their hands. His whole body twitched with the anger flowing through him, his feet moving before he’d even decided what he was doing. In less than a breath, Keith had grabbed Haxus by the lapels and shoved him up against the closest wall. “I suggest you leave. Right. Now.” Keith could feel the itch to let his fists fly. The only thing stopping him was the look on Lance’s face, he really didn’t want to cause more of a scene for him, to put unwanted attention on him, and if Keith ended up spending a night or two in a local cell, then he wouldn’t be around for moments just like this.

While Haxus sputtered on the wall it was Hunk that finally sighed and slowly moved to pull Keith away. He eased him back to the group with soft words, but groaned when Pidge moved close. 

“Keith, Keith… I keep telling you, pin them to the wall with the poisoned knife. How many times do I have to remind you.” She grinned up at him, fully supporting him. 

“That was… highly unnecessary.” Haxus straightened his jacket with a scowl. “A simple no would have sufficed. It isn’t  _ that  _ pretty.” 

Keith whirled from where he had returned to Lance’s side, but Hunk kept a steady arm around him. “He’s not an it! He’s a human being, but maybe a pig like you can’t tell,” Keith barked out, spittle flying in his rage and disgust. “He’s his own man, and clearly staring at your own horrendous reflection has caused you to go blind if you can’t see how pretty he is!” Keith was breathing heavy as he stood on his tiptoes to call out over Hunk’s shoulder.

Pidge started snickering, while Lance just stood there, hands now in his pockets as his eyes darted from one to the other. Hunk ended up settling his free hand on Keith’s shoulder, trying to get him to calm down at least a little, as he pointedly glanced at Shiro.

Shiro nodded, then glared hard at Haxus. “Keith’s right, Shade is his own man. No one owns him,” Shiro said slowly, cold and calculating like they only heard when he was exceptionally pissed off.

Lance groaned. “Shiro… I wish you hadn’t said that….” He mumbled, slowly bringing one hand up to cover his face. This was a mess and Lance really, really wished he had just stayed in bed with Keith and Narti all day.

Haxus smiled. “Oh. Well, that is quite different. Of course, of course. I am sorry for troubling you… fine people with something that did not even concern you. I was unaware it was not owned.” He shifted, skirting the group to bring himself closer to Shade. “Then it’s fair game.” 

There was a moment of calm, the team still, eyes wide and mouths open, before the storm let loose. Keith twisted out of Hunk’s slacking arms, fire in his eyes. His arms swung, a punch connecting with Haxus’ chin before another slammed into his gut. When he fell to his knees, Keith yanked him up by his collar, bringing them face to face. Keith grit his teeth in a frightening grimace. “ _ He _ will not be going with you,” Keith said with an eerie iciness he didn’t know he possessed. “And if you do not want me to peel back the skin of your fingers, then I would leave.”

By this point, several people had gathered around and were staring at the scene. Pidge, for her part, was keeping everyone away with her own dark glare. Hunk, was shaking his head, looking a mix of disappointed and upset, while Shiro’s hand on his arm was literally the only thing keeping Lance still at this point. He’d jerked away the moment Haxus came close and had every intention of being somewhere else for a long while. 

“I think… we should all go now.” Hunk stated quietly.

Keith shoved Haxus away from him, the hard thunk he made as he collided with the wall satisfying though he itched to do more. He felt sick to his stomach at what Haxus had wanted, and even worse when he considered how many times Lance must have come through here on his own before. What if he’d been confronted when no one was with him? Keith tensed at the thought of Lance forced to work in one of those places, a new wave of anger washing over him. But, one glance at Lance’s face and slumped shoulders, and those hands so ready to fight found their way to wrap around one of Lance’s. Keith held his hand as gently as he could in his shaking hands. “Let’s go home,” he murmured.

Pidge waited until they were out of the crowd before she stopped. “Alright, as fun as that was for absolutely no one. I’m going to Allura’s. I’m tired of sitting around not knowing anything.” She paused. “Keith? You should have kicked him too. Hard.”

“Yeah.” She wasn’t wrong. “Trust me, I wanted to.” He looked down at the hand tangled in his own, following it up to Lance’s face. “Are you… alright?”

Lance shrugged. “I’m fine…” His voice was much quieter than usual. “It happens. But, thanks.”

Pidge rolled her eyes before looking up at Shiro. “Right, so I’m going, sound good?”

Shiro sighed, eyes closing for a moment. “Go ahead,” he said, laden with exhaustion. “When will you be back?”

She wrinkled her nose. “I’m hoping that I learn enough that I’m gone all day, but I can check in at dinner if you want…”

“What that means is, I’ll be going with her or we won’t see her again until tomorrow afternoon.” Hunk smiled, a little small but a smile nonetheless. “Don’t worry, we’ll be alright, Shiro. Just, keep them out of trouble.” He dipped his head in Keith’s direction. 

Shiro shook his head, eyes to the sky. “Apparently that’s easier said than done,” he teased.

“I heard that,” Keith called over his shoulder.

“Tell me I’m wrong,” Shiro challenged, a smile finally making its way to his face. Keith had no response.

“You’re wrong.” Lance stated softly. “Because I am going out of the city and running until I feel better. So no more creepy people and thus no more problems” He shot Shiro a small smile. “Besides… now you can go get that comb for Allura if you want…”

Shiro blushed furiously, clearing his throat. “I, uh, well… I guess I --” He paused, frowning a bit. “I don’t know if I should leave you two alone, what if something happens?”

“It won’t. Outside, Shiro. Running. No people.” Lance finally let his shoulders relax, raising his head a bit. “Besides, I’ve been babying my leg too much, I need the run.”

Shiro glanced back and forth between the two of them. “Alright, if you two think you can stay out of trouble. I think I will go back into town… you know, for research, check up on some criminals… I think there are some other hunters in the area…” 

Keith smirked at the blush giving him away. “Criminals… right, of course…” Shiro pointedly looked at him before turning and walking back the way they came, barely bothering to wave over his shoulder.

Lance rolled his eyes, but glanced at Keith. “Did you want to come with me? I… For the run?” He paused then shook his head. “I really am kind of done with town for a while.”

Keith nodded, he didn’t blame him, and honestly he felt the same. “I’d like that. Fair warning, I’m pretty fast.”

“I’m sure, but I won’t be so we can’t race.” He smiled though, nudging Keith with his elbow lightly. “Let’s get out of here, yeah?”

Keith returned the smile. “Lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAHHHHHHH KEITH GETS TO LEARN LANCE'S NAME AND THEY KISS AND OH MY GOOOOOODDDDDDD
> 
> I LOVE THIS CHAPTER SO MUCH ITS ONE OF MY FAVORITES!!! I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as we did writing it. And yes, I know, it's fluff city up in here, but we definitely had a bit of angst in there, so no complaining lol and how about that Keith in the Haxus scene??? lol
> 
> Anyway, thank you guys for continuing to be the most amazing readers and for all of the wonderful comments, they really brighten our days and keep us motivated!
> 
> <3 Holly


	17. Getting What You Want

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating and tags have been updated.

Lance knew a lot of shortcuts and was more than willing to make use of all of them if it meant avoiding people. Side alley’s and little used streets, but he kept biting at his lip as they walked, eyes darting from one place to the other. “Um… hey, Keith…”

Keith would be lying if he said he hadn’t been solely focused on watching Lance, only really zoning back in at the sound of his name. “Hmm? What?” 

“Remember how I told you… that … the shadows tell me things? Well.. they’re pretty vocal right now…” He glanced behind him, and then shook his head. “How long have those two guys been behind us?”

Keith whipped his head around. His hand was on his knife in an instant. The two men weren’t necessarily doing anything alarming, but Lance had brought them pretty far out of the way, and something about their demeanor set Keith’s hackles up. “Lance, how far are we from Coran’s,” he asked under his breath.

After a careful glance, he replied just as softly. “Coran’s is on the other side of the market. All the way across the city….” He looked a little concerned now. 

Keith set his shoulders, firm and ready as he slipped his concealed knife free. His eyes zeroed in on the approaching men. “Hopefully it’s nothing, but, if I tell you to, you need to run, alright?” 

“But…” He paused, then shook his head. “Um… I don’t think that’s really an option. There’s a couple more ahead of us…” He bit his lip, then spoke very softly. “Besides, I just said I can’t run fast yet.”

Keith muttered a curse, craning his neck to see more men closing in on them. He could no longer hope that this was a misunderstanding, a coincidence. He leaned slightly into Lance’s space, slipping his knife into his hand. He hoped the look he shot Lance was enough for him to know to keep the weapon out of sight, but to use it if needed. Keith stood a little straighter, angling himself to see as many of the men as possible. They were now only a stone’s throw away. “Who are you and what do you want?”

One of the men snarled at him. “Don’t worry  _ bounty hunter _ -” He said the word as if it left a rotten taste in his mouth. “We don’t want nothin’ with you. Just here for the unfortunate,” he said, an almost singsong lilt to his voice.

Keith bared his teeth, slipping another knife free, fingers white knuckled on the hilt. “I don’t know what it is with all you assholes today, but  _ he’s not for sale.” _

The man who had spoken before laughed, high pitched and grating on every one of Keith’s nerves. “We’re not planning on paying for him.” He looked over Keith’s shoulder and nodded. The hair on the back of his neck prickled and Keith spun, narrowly avoiding the heavy fist of the largest man in the group. His feet slid on the leaf strewn ground and Keith scrambled to find his footing.

Another of the men lurched forward to grab Lance in his absence. Keith reached out, grabbing at the back of Lance’s coat and yanking closer to him, just as Lance swung out, leaving a bright slice of red on the man’s face. The three men that hadn’t bothered to speak circled them like vultures. Keith put his back to Lance’s, hoping these guys were dumber than they looked.

“Nothing personal, hunter! We’re takin’ him no matter what, don’t gotta get caught up in it!”

“Fuck off,” Keith grunted out between dodges.

The man laughed again. “Don’t nobody get away from The Hyenas,” he called out in that same terrible sing song voice. “We always get tha job done.”

Keith felt a sharp pain in his ribs as one of the men’s punches landed. He felt Lance tense and twist behind him, but he couldn’t risk pulling Lance’s focus away from protecting himself. He kicked out hard, driving the man a few feet back and used the moment of surprise to throw his knife straight into the man’s head. The moment he’d done so, more hands were on him and he could hear Lance struggling as well.

Lance was in way over his head. He wasn’t exactly a fighter in the first place, but he’d done alright keeping the men off him, so far. But he couldn’t keep it up for long and he knew it. He really only had one option. “I really hope you trust me… because I don’t have another choice….” He bit his lip hard and let his hand catch Keith’s yanking them both down and temporarily free from any other hands, before he took advantage of all the men’s shadows and disappeared, taking Keith with him.

For a second it was like floating in water, that odd feeling of weightlessness. Then, it was a bit like falling, like Keith was spinning, and had no way of knowing which way was actually up. Between one blink and the next, it was like looking at a drawing made entirely of charcoal. Everything was gray, the buildings, streets, even the sky looked an odd ashy color. Right in front of him were the shadows of the gang they had just been fighting, but they were moving oddly, slow and twitchy. One of the shadow’s hands reached down but passed through Keith like he wasn’t even there. 

Soft voices, ten, twenty, hundreds, possibly, whispered warnings. It was almost impossible to make sense of the voices as they blended together. Occasionally a word or two would be clear, nothing threatening, just, a sense of not being alone, of being surrounded. It was comforting, almost peaceful, here in this place of gray.

“Keith, can you hear me?” Lance ducked his head a little to meet Keith’s eyes, “Keith?” He worked his arm free of the clinging shadows to slowly place it on Keith’s shoulder, taking great care not to let go of his arm.

Lance’s eyes were glowing. Unlike everything else, he still looked exactly the same. His mouth was set in a small frown, worry lines wrinkling his forehead.  His eyes were still a vibrant blue, even brighter than usual, with the odd glow they seemed to have in this place of shadows and gray. Dark shapes clung to him, his shoulders, his arms, blending into his coat. But those bright eyes were fixed on Keith’s face.

Lance kept a tight grip on Keith’s hand. “Do not let go of me.” His voice was firm, urgent. “If you let go, you’ll be lost, and I won’t be able to find you again. You have to hold on to me.”

The whispers started up again, soft and coaxing, filling Keith’s ears with their barely audible words.  _ ‘Hold tightly… Don’t let go…. Stay close…. Keep him near…’ _

His thoughts were finally catching up to him through the sluggish murkiness that was his brain in this place. Keith gripped Lance tighter, sure his fingers would leave marks. 

Lance kept his eyes on Keith as he tugged just a bit on his hand. As he did so, the shapes all seemed to stretch and blur. It was disorienting, almost dizzying, then Lance tugged one more time and Keith’s eyes were filled with a bright light. He blinked several times to clear his vision. They were in the little alcove behind Coran’s house, where Lance and Shiro had ended up after they had collected Lance’s trade. It hadn’t felt like they had moved at all, but here they were all the way across the city. The sky was bright with light, and the sounds of the nearby market almost loud in comparison to the whispers from before. 

Lance’s head turned to stare in the opposite direction and he abruptly dropped his hold on Keith, drawing his hand back to his side. He was a little worried that this would be too much for Keith. Too weird, too… Different. It wasn’t like they’d had time to actually talk about what they were, which Lance could admit was partially his fault. He’d been too wrapped up in the happy feeling of knowing Keith returned his feelings. But, other than some truly wonderful kisses, they hadn’t actually finished the talk they’d started back in their room that morning. Plus Lance hadn’t even had the chance to ask if Keith was okay with it before he just up and took him with him. 

Despite the warm sunlight, Keith shivered. His eyes were wide as he continued to slowly take in their suddenly new surroundings. His fingers twitched at his side, wanting to reach out to Lance who seemed to be distancing himself. In the light of day, with Lance no longer looking at him, the whispers he’d heard felt like they where disappearing, like shadows at noon. “W-what was that,” he asked, his voice sounding too loud in his ears after the strange quiet.

“Oh… it was.. Um..” Lance wasn’t actually sure how to explain it, but he did owe Keith something. He just wasn’t sure what to say. “That’s.. Where I go when I disappear. It’s.. like a.. Shadow city.”

Keith gaped, not entirely what to make of that. “Oh.” He had so many questions, his brain already struggling to make sense of the whole thing. It had been strange, not necessarily frightening, but definitely unsettling. Something tickled at the back of his mind, and Keith’s eyes snapped back to Lance. Shadow City… Pidge had mentioned something before. “W-wait-” Keith stepped towards Lance, a million new questions on the tip of his tongue, but the adrenaline had started to ebb and the sharp pains in his ribs returned with a matching ache in the leg he’d used to kick back one of the Hyena thugs. He grunted as he tried not to crumple where he stood.

Lance’s head spun to face Keith at the grunt. “Oh shit.. I’m so sorry.” He didn’t even think before he caught Keith by the arm and led him inside. “Are you… alright? You got hit pretty badly, didn’t you? I’m… really sorry.” He felt terrible, knowing that Keith had been hurt trying to help him. He had a vague idea of where Coran kept his supplies. “I’ll go… get some things for you.”

“No, wait.” Keith caught him by the wrist before he could get too far. “Thank you, Lance.” He cleared his throat, thumb tracing soft circles on his wrist. “I don’t think I could have made it out of there without you. You… saved me.” Keith smiled before gently tugging on Lance’s arm until he was close enough to lean against him, his forehead pressed against Lance’s throat.

Lance relaxed slightly when Keith leaned on him. “I… You were only there because of me… I’m the one that should thank you.” Lance let his left hand trail absently along Keith’s arm, still worried but unwilling to leave as long as Keith was leaning on him like that. 

“Oh, here… It’s your favorite right?” He pulled the knife Keith had slipped him out of his pocket. He was pretty sure it was Keith’s preferred weapon. It was the one he always reached for first, the one he’d taken to Kassis with him. “Thank you… for letting me use it…” 

“You know,” Keith said, his fingers brushing Lance’s as he took the knife. “For a guy that keeps saying he’s not much of a fighter, you were pretty amazing back there.”

“Are you kidding? I was a mess!” Lance blurted out, almost appalled at the suggestion. “I had no idea what I was doing. I was just, trying to keep them away. You hit a guy in the forehead with a knife!”

Keith’s laugh turned into a groan as his ribs were jostled. “Don’t tell Shiro I ever admitted to this… but I think I need to lie down.”

Lance nodded, doing his best to help Keith up to their little room and getting settled in the bed. “I… really am sorry…” He hovered for a minute, then his shoulders slumped. “I can… go get Coran? Or… Hunk? What do you need?”

“No, it’s fine, just… keep me company?” Keith didn’t want to let him go just yet.

Lance bit his lip, looking uncertain. “If… you’re sure.” He carefully settled on the edge of the bed. “You know, I’ve never really seen anyone fight like that. It was.. Really impressive… but I’m so sorry that you got hurt.”

Keith waved his hand. “Stop.” He bit the inside of his cheek. “No more apologies. It was worth it if it kept you safe.”

Lance’s eyes grew wide and his face flushed. “I…” He shook his head, and sighed. “Fine. Fine. You win.” He fidgeted with his hands then sighed. “But, I do owe you one apology. I.. should have.. Just, taken us away when we noticed them, instead of letting them get so close.” He glanced at Keith’s face. “I just wasn’t sure you would.. Be alright with that.”

Keith frowned at him. “Lance. It’s not your fault. Had it just been two guys, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, you couldn’t have known. Besides… I know using your powers can wear you out, I wouldn’t have expected you to use them unless absolutely necessary anyway.” And Keith might have been wishing hopefully, but he let the words fall out of his mouth anyway. “Are you tired from it? Because you should lay down if you are.”

Lance blinked. He actually stilled completely, thinking over the question, before he realized what Keith meant. “Oh, well.. It’s more when I do things that I don’t practice much.” He tended to take Shroud with him a lot so he felt mostly fine, except for the worry curling in his stomach over Keith. “I… don’t want to hurt you more… but…” He did shift a bit closer despite his words, wanting to be close. “How bad did that guy get you?” 

Keith rolled his eyes. “Just lie down on the damn bed with me. Please.” And because sometimes the manners Shiro tried to instill in him still surface- “I’ll be fine,” he sighed. “I just need to lay here for a bit.”

Lance huffed, but honestly felt a bit better with Keith back to being slightly surly. Rather than lie down though, he stood up, ignoring Keith’s glare and slipped his coat off before actually laying down. “There, I’m laying down. Are you happy?” For a minute, Lance stayed still before he sighed. “This is kind of dumb… I just… Don’t know what you want…”

Without looking, Keith reached towards Lance from where he was stretched out on his back. “If you’re going to make me say it, I want you not so far away.”

Lance bit his lip but scooted closer. “Yes, Keith. I had to make you say it.” He teased, trying to lighten his own spirits. “It’s amazing what you get if you ask for it.”

Keith huffed a laugh, but let his eyes close as Lance settled closer. “All I have to do is ask, huh?”

Lance shrugged, then wrinkled his nose. “Well, I’m not going to go steal you a diamond or anything… I mean, I could, but I won’t. But… no harm in asking, right?” Lance was mildly curious what he’d ask for. “Just because I don’t ask for much, doesn’t mean I won’t ask for something I really need.” He didn’t exactly like to do it, but he would, if he  _ really _ needed it.

“If I get to ask for small things, you do too,” Keith murmured. He wanted Lance to feel comfortable enough to ask for things he wanted, not just absolute necessities. Keith would give him the world if he asked for it. “What do  _ you _ want, Lance?”

“I’m…. not really sure how to answer that.” He admitted honestly. “It’s been a long time since I let myself want anything.” He chewed on his lip as he thought about it. “Something small or… big?”

“Anything.” Keith peeked over at him.

“Well…” Lance was stalling, but he really wasn’t sure what to say. “Honestly? I have no idea. I can think of big things… like Shroud to grow up happy… but small things.. I’m not sure…”

Keith smiled at him. “That’s a good one…” He chewed at his cheek for a moment, considering Lance. “Well… do you want to be here right now, or are you just placating me?”

Lance directed a flat look at Keith. “If I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be. But that isn’t a want someone else can give me, is it? So what do  _ you  _ want then?” 

“I want to stay right here until I’m forced to get up, and then maybe a few minutes more after.” Keith’s eyes crinkled in a smile. “You already know I want you to stay with me… and I want you closer… so we can… hold each other.” Keith swallowed, looking at the ceiling. “Your turn.”

Rather than answer out loud, Lance wiggled around, so he was laying on his side, looking at Keith’s profile. “I’d… like to hold you, but I’m a little worried about your ribs. So… how about we compromise and you scoot over here?” He worried his lip a little bit more, then sighed. “I was… a little worried earlier that… what I’d done was… too much for you… So… if it counts… I want to know… that it wasn’t?”

Keith groaned and grunted as he maneuvered closer to Lance. He let the breath he was holding out and looked into Lance’s eyes. “It was… strange… but it wasn’t bad.” Keith shrugged. “It let us get away, and that’s really all that matters.” Keith let his eyes close again, Lance’s body heat slowly starting to sink into him. “Keep going. What else?”

One hand came up and lightly rubbed along Keith’s arm. “It’s easier to answer what I don’t want… to be honest.” Lance admitted quietly. “I.. want you safe…”

Keith’s eyes snapped open, tracing Lance’s expression carefully. “I want you safe too…”

“I know… Trust me, I saw…” Lance’s voice was soft. “Like.. I said, it’s easier to say what I don’t want….” 

Keith tried to fight back the nervousness bubbling up at those words. “What don’t you want,” he whispered, praying it wasn’t this. Wasn’t  _ him _ .

“I.. don’t want to ruin this…” Lance breathed, using all his control to keep his eyes on the hand tracing patterns on Keith’s arm, instead of looking at Keith’s face. “I don’t… want to be.. Too much, or.. Not enough. I don’t want to… cling too hard, or draw back too much… I don’t…” He sighed. “I don’t want to lose this.”

Keith rolled towards Lance, ignoring the ache in his side. He brought his hands up close to Lance’s face slowly, giving him a chance to pull away, before settling them on his face, thumbs brushing his cheek bones. “If I managed to not fuck this up yet, then you have nothing to worry about.” He continued the soothing motion of his thumbs. “I don’t want to lose you either… I… think you’re perfect…”

“I’m not…” Lance stayed still, letting Keith touch him as he liked. “I’m  _ really _ not. I’m stubborn and hard to deal with sometimes… I’m not perfect… please don’t expect that.”

Keith laughed, soft and sincere. “And I’m grouchy, and hard to wake up and easily as stubborn. I don’t mean you’re a perfect person, I mean you’re perfect for me… You’re everything I wanted and all the things I didn’t know I wanted until I met you,” Keith said quietly.

Lance’s breath caught, and he swallowed hard. “I… think I thought of a couple things… I want…” The hand that had been rubbing Keith’s arm moved up, over his shoulder and brushed his bangs away. “If… you’re still interested?”

Keith leaned into the touch. “Yes. Whatever you want,” he breathed.

Lance chuckled softly. “I want… to know why you always say that to me… I,” a deep breath. “I want to wake up to you. I want to see… if I can wake you up with a kiss… easier than I have been able to wake you up before.” He let the words fall out of him in a rush, worried he’d lose his courage if he stopped too long. “I want to stay with you, as long as you’ll let me. And… if those are things  _ you  _ want… then, I want you to kiss me.”

Keith lurched forward, wasting no time, the last word barely making its way out of Lance’s mouth before Keith’s lips were taking its place. The pain in his ribs was no match for the euphoria of kissing Lance. “I want… you… forever,” he said between kisses.

For such soft kisses, they still stole the breath out of Lance’s lungs. “That’s… a long time…” He murmured, hand curling in Keith’s hair. “What else… do you want?” He let his lips move against Keith’s, soft and gentle. 

Keith pressed further against Lance, his hands gliding across every inch of skin he could reach. “I want to make you mine, and I want you to make me yours,” he choked out, breathless.

Lance stilled, catching Keith’s hands and pressing soft kisses to his knuckles. “I’ve had a couple of… dalliances. But… I’ve never belonged to anyone… and other than Shroud, I’ve never called anyone mine.” His words were soft against Keith’s skin. “But… I became yours… when I told you my name… So… to steal your line… Whatever. You. Want.” He pressed a kiss in the pause of each word. 

In the space of a breath, Keith had rolled them, a fire lit inside him. His legs were tangled with Lance’s, but he rested his weight on his lap as he shucked off his shirt, ignoring the way the stretch made him wince. He quickly brought his lips back to Lance’s, carding his fingers through his hair. “I want you. Now,” he practically pleaded.

Lance let his eyes trail over Keith’s muscles, a hand ghosting along the bruised skin of his side. “Keith…” This was  _ much _ better than the glances he’d stolen before they’d gone to Kassis. Lance… really liked what he saw. “You’re gorgeous.”

Careful, of Keith’s bruises, Lance shifted his hips just enough to rock Keith forward a bit, finally kissing him like he’d wanted to for days now. Lance let his tongue slip into Keith’s mouth, taking his time, learning what made Keith shift closer, or groan low in his throat. When he finally pulled back to take a breath, Lance didn’t move far. Just enough to press their noses together and to breathe for a moment. “You… have me…”

It was everything Keith had been so sure he could not have. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Instead, he ended up burying his red face in Lance’s neck, taking the opportunity to pepper kisses there. He drank up the noises Lance was making, feeling them vibrate through the delicate skin of his throat. He sat back to appreciate the sight before him, and couldn’t help the small shift of his hips. Not with Lance looking at him like that, lips red, hair a mess. “Fuck.”

Fuck was a pretty accurate description of everything Lance was thinking currently. Keith looked stunning there, inches away from Lance’s face, warm and  _ right  _ there with him. He took a handful of seconds, to just appreciate the sight before him before he abruptly sat up a bit, stripping his own shirt off, and tossing it somewhere. Lance didn’t really care where it ended up, not with Keith so close. Still, he smirked just a little as he ran both his hands up Keith’s chest. “Y-yeah…”

Keith sighed as Lance’s hands mapped out the valleys and peaks of his torso. He leaned forward and kissed Lance’s collarbone. There was a small scar just under it, and Keith kissed that too. “Perfect-” he whispered to himself as his mouth travelled across Lance’s broad chest. At a particularly delicious noise from Lance, he looked up, his every nerve set on fire by the man under him. “I need you. However you want, I…” Words were failing him.

Lance took advantage of the pause to latch onto the scar over Keith’s shoulder, tracing the edges with his tongue, kissing the slightly rough skin there. “Keith…” Lance murmured the name into the skin he was nipping at. He pulled back, eyes darting up to stare at Keith’s face. “I want…” He swallowed, still uncomfortable admitting to such little desires. “I told you…” A kiss along a collarbone, “You have me.” Another kiss, this one at the spot where Keith’s pulse was racing. “And I…” He gave soft gentle press of his mouth to Keith’s before he pulled back enough to think a bit clearer. He took a breath and nodded to himself. “I don’t give myself lightly. I can’t. But, you… you have me and I want… you to know that too. So… I want you to do, whatever you need…”

Lance ducked his head a little, embarrassed to admit it out loud. He tucked his lip in his mouth, chewing on it for a moment, as he waited nervously to see what Keith would do. 

Keith stared at him for just a moment, before he clambered off of Lance and the bed, tripping over himself in the process. He ignored Lance’s eyes on his back as he pulled things out of his pack haphazardly. He bit back a smile as he found what he was looking for and turned to climb back onto the bed. He settled slowly between Lance’s legs, hands bracketing his head as he lowered himself to steal a kiss.

Confused, Lance stayed still, eyes tracking Keith’s movements, growing wider when he settled. He pressed back into the kiss, despite his confusion. Still, he kept his hands at his sides, a little unsure if he’d said something wrong. “What is it?”

“It’s, uh… oil… to make it easier.” Keith blushed. He set the small vial aside, anxious to get his hands back on Lance. He brushed his fingertips from his ribs down to his waist, taking satisfaction in the small amount of weight he’d put on in the time he’d been with them. He cupped Lance’s cheek, rolling his hips as he pressed a bruising kiss to his lips. “I promise I’ll make you feel good,” he whispered against Lance’s lips.

He chased after Keith when he pulled back, sliding one hand into Keith’s hair. “I’m not worried.” Lance kept his voice as soft as Keith’s was. He really wasn’t concerned at all. Keith was always so gentle when he touched him. For all that he had sharp words and scowls, his fingers were light on Lance’s skin. A grin slowly crossed Lance’s face. “So tell me… What do you like?”

Keith pulled a tiny bit back at the unexpected boldness. He rolled his eyes at the look on Lance’s face, but Keith couldn’t help but huff out a fond laugh. “I’m, uh… not picky… I’m willing to try pretty much anything.” Keith finally made eye contact again, smirking before he claimed Lance’s lips once more. He trailed kisses along Lance’s jaw. “But, right now?... I like the idea of you arched and breathless beneath me,” he murmured into Lance’s ear.

The smirk helped the last of Lance’s nerves fade. He raised his hips just a bit, not a full arch but more of a teasing hint, letting one leg wrap around Keith’s as he adjusted his shoulders and settled more on the bed. “Well… I can handle the arching but the breathless… that is all on you, Keith.” Lance dropped his tone, almost purring the last one.  

Keith’s brain melted. He was just starting to feel proud of his level of composure, but words were definitely out the window now. A small moan escaped his lips and he ground his hips in small circles.

Lance bit back his own groan, letting his hands drift over Keith’s shoulders and down the muscles of his back, before just letting his fingers brush the edge of Keith’s pants. Encouraged, he let his fingers barely slip past the waistband of his pants, before slowly drifting around Keith’s waist. One abruptly changed track, snaking up Keith’s chest and curling around his neck as Lance leaned up for another kiss, while the other absently toyed with the button.    


“Can I?” He wanted to. He wanted to see if he could make Keith moan loudly. He wanted… more than he could say. 

The breath caught in Keith’s chest. He had to bite his lip to keep from embarrassing himself, and nodded. Reluctantly, he leaned away from Lance to make room. Lance took complete advantage of the opening and leaned up a bit, popping the button on Keith’s pants and slowly undoing the leather ties. He let his hand slip past the barrier of Keith’s clothes, while he kissed any bit of skin he could reach. 

He kept his touch light, almost playful until he found what he was looking for and curled his fingers around Keith’s dick, moving his hand in one long slow stroke. Lance nipped lightly at Keith’s shoulder before pulling back a bit, eyes dark and with a smile curling on his lips. 

Lance was going to be the death of him. They had barely even started and yet Keith felt well on his way to utterly devastated. Keith tipped his head back at the perfect pressure of Lance’s hand, finally filling his lungs with air for what felt like the first time since they’d started. When he let his head fall back forward, the look Lance was giving him sent shivers down his spine, and finally Keith’s brain was able to pull together a thought.

He grabbed the waist of his pants and scrambled to push them down his legs and kicking them to the floor, his underwear following immediately after. Keith sat on his haunches and splayed his hands across the front of Lance’s pants, letting the tips of his pinkies fall into the dips at the tops of his thighs. He hesitantly looked up to Lance for permission, desperately hoping for it.

_ Fuck. _ Keith was unfairly good looking and Lance barely even noticed the hands settling on his hips as he just… drank in the sight of Keith crouched over him, with all that skin open and on display. 

Their eyes caught and Lance’s sucked in a sharp breath at the look on Keith’s face. It was full of want and hope and Lance was struck with the urge to memorize it. To commit it to memory so he could see it anytime he wanted, anytime he started doubting that he could do this. 

He shifted, raising his hips again, pressing them more firmly into Keith’s hands. He let his fingers drift along Keith’s thigh, quietly admiring how dark his own fingers looked on the pale skin. 

Keith wasted no time in undoing Lance’s pants. As he worked the pants free, Keith froze, eyes flicking up to Lance’s face before he slowly rolled them the rest of the way down. He was pretty sure the idea of Lance walking around all day with nothing under his pants was causing his soul to leave his body. “Perfect. So perfect. ‘M so lucky.” The words tumbled from him as he dove back in to worship every inch of the beautiful man before him. 

Lance wasn’t entirely sure what he’d done to cause such a reaction. But he had no time to even think about it because it felt like Keith was everywhere. Hands brushed his stomach, smoothed down his legs. Kisses were pressed all over, accompanied by nips to his hip bones. Really the only problem Lance had with it, was that he couldn’t reach Keith easily, and he wanted to touch and explore too. 

An especially sharp bite had Lance dropping his head back on the pillow and a low groan working it’s way out of his throat. “K-Keith…” He tugged on the only thing he could easily reach, Keith’s hair. “C’mere…? I want to kiss you…” He was barely aware of the want slipping easily from his lips. 

Who was Keith to deny him? He nipped his way back up Lance’s body, quickly finding his lips. He really would give Lance anything he wanted, his stomach knotting when he considered just how deep his feelings for him seemed to go. “I…” Keith sucked in a breath as his cock dragged across Lance’s. He watched Lance’s eyes crinkle when Keith repeated the movement. “P-pretty. You’re so fucking pretty. And I-” Keith bit his lip to stem the flow of mindless chatter.

Lance squeezed his eyes shut for just a moment. Keith sounded wrecked and they’d hardly done anything. Honestly, he wasn’t much better. He again curled his arm around Keith’s neck, tugging him down on top of him properly and latching onto the patch of skin just above his collarbone. Lance willingly spent several minutes, sucking and nipping at that spot, before he let his mouth drift up to Keith’s ear. 

He didn’t let himself overthink it, just simply took a breath before he whispered. “That’s mine… That’s my mark on you…” He lightly tugged on Keith’s earlobe. “Where’s yours?” He slipped the little vial that had been sitting right next to his ribs, into Keith’s hand. 

Keith didn’t even have time to be embarrassed at the sound dragging out of his throat as he buried his face in the crook of Lance’s neck. He scraped his teeth across the soft skin there as he popped the stopper out of it. He could feel Lance’s hands continuing to roam, and he smirked before biting down hard on the juncture of his shoulder. He held for a moment or two before licking and kissing over the mark, using the distraction to bring slick fingers to circle Lance’s rim.

Torn between the urge to lean up into Keith’s mouth, or push back onto those fingers, Lance ended up doing an odd aborted wiggle. A low whine caught in his throat and he shifted again. He shook his head, trying to clear it a bit before he curled his leg a bit higher, giving Keith a bit more room. 

His hands shifted curling around Keith’s ass, and clenching lightly as he opened his mouth and let the words just fall out. “K-keith.. Mmm…” He blinked up, curling his fingers again. “Go ahead…I-I...”

Keith pressed a single finger in, tearing his eyes away from the sight at the last second to watch Lance’s face. He couldn’t help his jaw dropping a little at just how breathtaking Lance was in this moment. He slowly slid his finger in further before pulling back, repeating the motion over and over until Lance started to get huffy. Keith smiled. It was cute, how Lance had seemed almost impatient since they started. It was unexpected, but doing all the right things to Keith. 

He dripped a little more oil onto Lance’s perineum and watched it slowly roll down to meet his finger. He caught some with his second finger and pressed it in along side the first. Lance gripped the blankets beneath them as Keith opened him up. He swiped his thumb across the mess of oil as he fingered him, crooking his fingers every other thrust and placing gentle kisses on his thighs.

“I’m…” He wiggled again, “going to remember this next time…” He half heartedly glared but then Keith pressed just right and Lance relaxed with a groan. He wasn’t used to such a slow pace. His previous… encounters had all been quick. Keith was going to kill him. 

Keith muffled his laugh in Lance’s happy trail as he kissed his way up and over to the other thigh, ignoring Lance’s dripping cock. He added a third finger and sped up his pace, placing a single kiss to the head of Lance’s dick where it bumped against his stomach with every move they made. “Good. I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life.” He crooked his fingers, hitting Lance’s prostate exceptionally hard. “So, beautiful…”

He couldn’t stop the strangled moan he let out. The words though had Lance flushing just a little more, spreading his legs and tugging on Keith’s hair. “You only think that… Because you can’t see your own face.” Keith looked stunning with his flushed face and serious eyes. 

He tugged on the stands curled in his fingers again. “C’mere and kiss me. I’m ready… Just get up here.”

Keith left his fingers snug inside of Lance, but complied and leaned over him for a kiss. He nipped at Lance’s lips in time with the press of his fingers, the swipe of his tongue matching the push and drag. Just as Lance was attempting to push him back to argue, Keith pulled his fingers free, wiping the excess oil along his achingly hard cock. He pressed the swollen head to Lance’s wet hole, but didn’t breach it. He looked up at Lance. “Are you… c-can I?”

Lance blinked, then reached up with both hands, catching Keith’s face and pulling it down until they were inches apart. “Do you honestly…  _ honestly  _ think I’d go this far and tell you no? If you want me, then have me. If you… changed your mind, then…” Lance’s expression dropped for just a minute before he raised his head meeting Keith’s eyes. “Then just say so…”

Keith claimed his lips and pressed until the head was engulfed in Lance’s tight ring of muscle. He stalled for only a moment before sliding a little further in. He placed one hand on the side of Lance’s neck, the other pushing his bangs away from his face as Keith stared openly. “I- I’ve wanted you for weeks,” he breathed.

The soft words combined with the slow stretch as Keith finally pressed in stole Lance’s breath. He pressed his forehead just a bit more into Keith’s hand, right before he hitched his leg up a bit more. “I…” He paused, then caught the hand resting on his neck, pulling it to his mouth and pressing a soft kiss to the knuckles. “I’m here… right now, with you.” He tilted his head and left a light smatter of kisses along Keith’s face. “You have me, Keith.”

When Keith bottomed out, they both choked out moans. He stayed just like that, holding Lance close as he tried to remember how to breathe. He kissed the corner of Lance’s panting mouth before sitting back. He pinched Lance’s nipples and ran his hands from his chest down to his smooth stomach. He gripped his hips and watched as he pulled out slowly, taking delight in the way Lance spasmed around him.

The slow pace was driving Lance mad. He wanted to flip them, settled firmly on Keith’s thighs and move until neither of them had a coherent thought in their heads. He wanted Keith to move, to make Lance  _ his…  _ like he said he wanted to. The slow drag of Keith’s dick across his rim was both wonderful and frustrating at the same time.

“Keith…” The name came out more like a sigh. Lance raised his hips chasing the pressure and arching his back. He was distantly aware of Keith’s hand roving over his torso while the other was curled around his hip bone. He shook his head and let his fingers tangle in Keith’s hair again. “I-I thought.. You were going… to make me yours…”

Keith stilled, causing Lance to whine. Part of him wanted to watch Lance slowly come undone, but more importantly- “I don’t want to hurt you.” Lance had endured enough pain in his life, and Keith was not going to be the cause of more if he could help it, no matter how much will power it was taking to not thrust into Lance with wild abandon.

A soft smile grew at those words. Honestly, for such a prickly asshole, Keith could be so sweet. He caught Keith’s chin, and kissed him long and deep. “You won’t. I’m stronger than I look.” Still, it touched him that there was someone, that there was  _ Keith _ , who worried about him. “I’m… Not used to going slow…” He admitted softly, breathing his words over Keith’s lips. “I just want to feel you…”

Keith failed to bite back a groan. “Fuck-” He rolled his hips a couple times, already doubling his previous speed. He sat further back on his haunches and pulled Lance’s ass up onto his lap. He held him up by his hips, fingertips digging into flesh, and thrust into Lance. “Oh, god, Lance.” Keith didn’t dare slow down, not now.

Hearing his actual name, said in such a wrecked voice, did something to Lance. Keith didn’t use his name much, but everytime he did Lance found himself reacting. But hearing it now, with his legs wrapped around Keith’s waist and fingers gripping at his hips… Lance had not been prepared. He pushed upward, and kissed Keith hard, letting their tongues tangle, before he broke the kiss on a gasp, and let himself fall back onto the pillows.

“I’ve… never heard my name like that.” He admitted softly. “I… I like it when you use it…”

Keith followed Lance down, chasing after his own kiss. “Lance,” he whispered like a prayer. Each kiss was punctuated with his name. He gripped Lance’s thighs, bending him in half as he pounded into him. “Lance- Lance- L-a-ance-” God he was so close.

Lance felt like his insides were on fire, lava flowing in his veins. He pulled Keith just a bit closer with his legs, hands sliding down Keith’s shoulders, across his back, and back up again. He was close, Keith was moving just right, and Lance wasn’t sure exactly how much longer he could last. He nipped at Keith’s lower lip, before running his tongue over the spot. 

It only took a couple more of those perfect thrusts, and one low groan of his name from Keith’s swollen lips before Lance’s eyes rolled back and he was coming hard between them both. 

Keith pressed a kiss to Lance’s leg before gently dropping them to the bed as he worked Lance through his orgasm. The way Lance was tightening around him, and the noises he was making, had Keith tumbling after him. His hips stuttered, his rhythm slipping. He felt white hot and he thrust as deep as he could, grinding in short shaky circles as he came inside of Lance, choking on his name.

Lance relaxed onto the soft mattress, awareness coming back to him slowly. He felt light, almost untethered. When Keith slumped, Lance pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, content to just lay there for a short while. It wasn’t a feeling he was used to. There was no urge to get up, or move away. If anything, Lance wanted to pull Keith closer, wrap his arms around him. 

Instead, Lance let his hand drift slowly along Keith’s bruised side, the marks were stark on his pale skin. “Are you… alright?” He felt a little silly asking, but he wanted to know. To know that… everything was fine.

Keith didn’t bother moving, even as his lips caught against Lance’s skin, muffling and slurring his words. “I… could really go for that nap now.”

Lance chuckled, hand still drifting over Keith’s side. “Go ahead. I don’t think anyone will be back for a while.” It was oddly relaxing, just laying there, but Lance was already starting to feel sticky. “In fact, you nap, and I’ll go clean up.” 

“No- no.” Keith slowly lifted himself up. “Stay here, I’ll take care of it.”  _ I’ll take care of you _ , he thought. He grimaced as he pulled out as gently as he could, reluctantly untangling himself from Lance’s arms. He sat back enough to see his handiwork, marks littered Lance’s body under the sheen of sweet. His hair was a mess, and Keith was sure he’d “-never been so in love.”

_ Fuck. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW WOW WOW WHAT IS HAPPENING LOOK AT ALL THAT THE RATING CHANGED THE TAGS HAVE BEEN UPDATED THE BOYS ARE HOT AND STEAMY AND IN LOVE(well at least Keith is XD) WHAT AN AMAZING CHAPTER GOOD SHIT GOOD SHIT
> 
> I have been excited to post this chapter since it was written, it is probably my favorite chapter in the whole fic. Maybe. IDK lol But I hope you enjoyed it, I can't wait to see what y'all put in the comments lol especially with that cliffhanger. How's Lance going to react to Keith's accidental confession? How is Keith going to react to his accidental confession?? OH MY GOOODDDD
> 
> Anyway, thank you all so much for all the comments and kudos! Y'all are the best!
> 
> <3 Holly
> 
>  
> 
> She _says_ this is her favorite chapter but keep in mind, we still have some more to write and she has no idea what I may throw at her next. 
> 
> But, as Holly said, thank you all for the amazing comments, kudos, and even the art! We love each and every bit of it!!! 
> 
> <3 Lindsay
> 
> EDIT: Hey guys, the rating and the tags have been updated. This fic will continue to be rated explicit and you are likely to be seeing more smut/mentions of smut in the future. You know I hate spoilers but y’all signed up for a mature rating and we’ve kind of sprung this on you so I feel it’s my duty to let you know what you are in for from here out. If sex scenes or mentions of sex squick you out, there are going to be more woven throughout the rest of the story(I mean come on, you think these two aren’t going to awkwardly discuss things?? lol) I hope we didn’t catch anyone too off guard and upset anyone, and if we did I apologize. Hopefully you’ll be sticking around but if not, we understand and thank you so much for making it this far with us. -Holly


	18. More Than Words

Keith’s eyes widened as he realized he’d said that out loud. The full body relaxation he’d felt just seconds before was gone. This was too quick right? Was it weird? Was Lance going to think he was only saying that because he was in some sort of post coital haze? What if Lance didn’t feel the same way? Keith tried to convince himself that even if that was the case, it didn’t necessarily mean things were over. Right? Oh god. Keith started to pull further away to find something to clean them off with before he made it any weirder.

Lance froze when those words slipped out, obviously without Keith’s permission, based on the way his eyes widened. Lance slowly sat up, his own eyes wide as he watched Keith’s face cycle through several expressions. Lance was unaware of the way the warmth pooled when he moved, or the chill of the room, all his attention was on Keith as his own mind frantically tried to make sense of those words. 

Lance hadn’t actually managed to process much when Keith started to slowly pull away, and his arm shot out and latched onto Keith’s hand keeping him in place while Lance thought. Keith  _ loved  _ him? It was difficult for Lance to actually wrap his mind around that. “Wait… do you… mean that?”

Keith panicked for a moment or two, but he couldn’t deny it. He’d been trying to ignore his feelings for quite sometime, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t fully aware of how gone he was for Lance. “I, uh, yeah… I do.” He took a deep breath. “How could I not?”

How could Keith say that so easily? He said it like it was a fact, something set in stone. The grass was green, the sky was blue and Keith loved him. Lance stared up at Keith’s face, mouth slightly open. 

It had been  _ years  _ since Lance had heard that said to him. Oh, Keith hadn’t said it directly, but it was close enough that Lance couldn’t help the wetness that was gathering at the corner of his eyes, or the first couple of tears that trailed down his cheeks. All he could really do was stare at the handsome man that… loved him. 

He’d been putting every inch of space between them he could, but he froze at the look on Lance’s face. When Lance started to cry, Keith tensed before bringing his free hand up in front of him. Now Keith was  _ really  _ panicking. His hand hovered sporadically over Lance, not entirely sure what to do. “Lance, shh, I’m sorry, please,” he tried to soothe. “We don’t- you can… just pretend I didn’t say anything.”

Lance started shaking his head over and over, before he yanked on Keith’s hand pulling him back over to the bed where Lance could reach him properly. “No… I don’t want that… It’s just..” He looped one arm around Keith’s waist, and hid his face. It was so much easier to speak when he wasn’t looking at him. “It’s just… been a long time since someone said that to me.”

Keith felt some of that tension melt, and found his fingers carding through Lance’s hair. He gently pulled at Lance until he could press him back to the bed. He leaned down and wiped at Lance’s cheeks. “Hey,” he said softly, smoothing the lines on Lance’s face. “Let me get you cleaned up, alright?”

Lance finally let go of Keith’s hand and nodded, struggling to get his expression back in control. “Y-yeah…” He still couldn’t quite believe that Keith felt that way. “But, then can we just… lay here and talk? I um… should tell you some things…”

Keith tried not to let those words sink nervousness into his gut. “Of course.” He set about finding what he needed to clean them off, thanking the universe that everyone was currently out as he ducked to the bathroom for some water. He came back, towel and and glass of water in hand. He set the glass aside and sat on the edge of the bed. Keith started with Lance’s face, wiping away the last of the tear tracks from his cheeks. He moved slowly down his body, wiping the wet end of the towel along his limbs and finally through the mess on Lance’s stomach and between his legs. The dry side of the towel followed and when Keith determined he was properly cleaned and dried, he handed him the glass of water.

Lance kept circling around several thoughts, while he waited. The first, and most important was Keith’s accidental confession. Lance… honestly wasn’t sure what to say, mostly because he could still barely believe it himself. 

Watching Keith carefully clean him up though, so gentle with his movements, the idea wasn’t so unbelievable. Lance absently toyed with the cup Keith had given him, before almost shyly looking up at him. “Twenty three years.” He offered quietly. “I haven’t heard anyone tell me that for twenty three years. I’m… lucky that you said it… I almost didn’t believe you at first, the idea was so… unlikely. But… it’s in everything you do, isn’t it?”

Keith blushed. “Uh-” He laughed as he shook his head. “Is it?” So much for being the badass, aloof bounty hunter, huh? He shrugged and made his way to the other side of the bed, flopping face down to hide his embarrassment.

“I didn’t realize it until just now… but I think it is…” The more he thought about it, the easier it was to see. Lance felt both humbled and overwhelmed by it. He took a few minutes to collect his thoughts, wanting to make sure he was as clear as possible. “I admit, it’s hard for me to… explain exactly what I’m feeling…” Honestly, Lance was thankful that Keith had buried his face in a pillow, he wasn’t sure he could get everything out if Keith was looking at him. 

Lance trailed off a bit, biting at his lip. “I haven’t let myself get… close to anyone… like I have you. I don’t even know what it is about you that draws me in so much. I know that I’ve never felt like this with anyone else… and I want to love you… I want that so badly. You’re so… sweet, and kind, even when you don’t have to be. You deserve so much more than someone who isn’t sure how to love you the way you deserve...” Lance again bit his lip, sure that he was ruining everything. “I-I’m… sorry.” He turned away from Keith to face the opposite wall, worrying over Keith’s reaction.

Keith turned his face just enough to peek at Lance with one eye. “It’s alright… I didn’t say it to- well, I wasn’t really planning on saying it at all, but… you don’t have to say it, just the fact that you want to… love me… is kind of making my chest hurt.” Keith wormed an arm from under him and placed his hand on Lance’s, smothering his face back into the pillow. 

Lance had lived through a lot of things. He’d seen strange things, done strange things but he was not strong enough to resist the feel of Keith’s hand over his. He slowly turned his hand over, so that his fingers could curl lightly around Keith’s. Keeping his eyes on the wall, he mulled over what he needed to say. 

“Only an idiot wouldn’t want to love you…” Lance murmured into the silent room. “Even Shroud adores you, and she’s never really liked anyone besides me…” Finally he closed his eyes and tipped his head back, before he squeezed his eyes tight. “I want… to say it. I want to mean it and I want to show it… but I don’t know how…”

Keith rolled onto his side. “Lance. I wouldn’t want you to say it until you’re ready anyway.” He yawned. “I’m already… really happy…”

Lance fought with himself. He wanted to ask Keith something. Something important, but he also didn’t want to be rude and keep him from sleeping. Really, He needed a few minutes anyway. He’d never made anyone happy before, and he really needed to get himself together. Needed to stop blurting out everything he was thinking. 

He made Keith happy. The thought that Lance wanted to love him, made Keith happy. Keith.. loved him. In a way, Lance wanted to bury his face in Keith’s hair, pull him close and just hold on. But, he didn’t want to cling. He didn’t want to need too much. 

After a long moment, Lance took a breath, steeled himself and asked. “Tell me how? Tell me how… to love you like you deserve?”

Keith stared, brows furrowed. He opened and closed his mouth a couple times before shaking his head a little. “I don’t think I know how to answer that… I’m not really used to this either… I’m going to fuck up just as much as you, if not more, but… that’s kind of what a relationship is, right? Even Hunk and Pidge, who are perfect for each other, have their bad days. Just… if you need or want something, you tell me. If you don’t want something, you tell me. Try not to take it personally when I get frustrated and overwhelmed and lash out, but don’t take any of my shit either. That’s… all I ask.”

Lance curled his fingers a little tighter. “I can… try.” He couldn’t guarantee he would be able to just ask for anything. He wasn’t used to someone being willing to listen. “Can… I ask you to understand that… it’s going to be hard for me to get used to asking for things? That… I’m not used to people wanting to be around?”

Lance took a breath and finally opened his eyes, turning his head to look at Keith. His next words were softer, more hesitant. “Can I… ask you to wait long enough for me to say it to you properly? Can I… be that selfish?” The last words were a whisper of air.

“Whatever you need,” Keith murmured through another yawn. He placed a heavy hand against Lance’s cheek, his body fighting against wakefulness. He sighed contentedly, and let his thumb brush little circles into Lance’s skin.

Lance settled a little into the pillow. “Go to sleep, Keith. I’ll um… try and wake you when the others get here…” A nap sounded nice, but Lance wasn’t much of a sleeper. But the idea of laying there while Keith slept was still nice. “And when you wake up, you can tell me why you always say that.”

The corner of Keith’s mouth quirked for a moment, but quickly went slack again. He winced a little as he curled more towards Lance. “You’ll stay with me?” Keith wasn’t sure if he was asking about this moment, lying in bed, or their relationship as a whole.

Lance raised his hand, and brushed his fingers over Keith’s cheek. “Of course. I won’t move until you do.” 

Keith didn’t even respond, just shifted closer and let his eyes close. This whole day had felt like a dream, and if Keith hadn’t been so exhausted, he was sure he’d have stayed up all night for fear of waking up to find it hadn’t been real. He really wanted it to be real.

….

Lance hadn’t actually slept, just spent his time thinking over the last few hours and constantly running his fingers over Keith’s hair. As he’d slept, Keith had slowly and steadily inched his way closer until he was curled up to Lance like he had the night they’d shared a tent. This time though, when Lance finally heard the sound of voices down stairs, he didn’t move away, or call out, he leaned closer. Kissing Keith’s forehead, his cheek, his mouth. All over his face. “Keith.. Wake up.”

“Mmm,” Keith groaned, trying to burrow into Lance. He was warm, and Keith was comfortable, and all he needed was a few more minutes. He had planned to tell Lance as much, but the words died on his tongue as gentle lips continued to press into his face. “Can’t we just… keep sleeping?” He didn’t even bother opening his eyes.

Lance rubbed his nose into Keith’s cheek. “No. Because we’re both in here, completely naked and when Pidge eventually bursts in, I do not want to hear her shriek.” Three more soft kisses land in quick succession. “Besides, maybe… I.. don’t want to share you like this.”

Keith opened his eyes and stared at Lance. He waited until Lance leaned in to leave a kiss somewhere near his jaw, but tilted his head and caught his lips with his own. Keith kissed him languidly, pressing his body closer. He sighed heavily through his nose, comfortable, happy, and in love. “You make good points,” he mumbled against Lance’s lips.

Lance couldn’t help but smile, his eyes softening a bit as he looked over at Keith’s sleepy face. He tucked his arm a little closer around Keith’s shoulders before he murmured in his ear. “I did a lot of thinking while you were sleeping. I’m sorry Keith, I should have told you this before.” Lance dropped a kiss to his temple, letting his mouth linger and breathing the words into the skin there. “Thank you…”

Another kiss right on the edge of Keith’s hair. “Thank you, for caring.” A breath before more words were mumbled into the hair just above Keith’s ear. “Thank you, for sticking around long enough to learn my name.” A quick press of his mouth to the curve of Keith’s ear. “Thank you… for staying even after…”

“I thought you were trying to get me out of this bed,” Keith whispered, his warm breath bouncing back at him from Lance’s collarbone. “If you plan on succeeding, this is not how you do it.” He ran one hand along Lance’s side.

Lance raised one eyebrow and leaned back enough for Keith to see it. Then an absolute wicked smirk crossed his face. “That’s alright. I don’t mind. After all, it might not be Pidge that comes to check on us. Besides, she wasn’t the one all worried about us. No, it’s likely Shiro that will walk in here.” 

Keith tensed, snapping his eyes up to Lance’s face before craning his head to see if he could hear anyone. He frowned back at Lance. “You’re the worst,” he said. He kissed Lance and climbed out of bed, mourning the loss of warmth, but more importantly, Lance’s breathtaking body as he searched the room for the clothes he’d been wearing earlier.

“How quickly I have fallen from my high place. I now rank with Pidge. Oh, the shame.” Lance teased lightly, collecting his pants and slipping them on. He paused long enough to stretch before wondering exactly how his shirt wound up halfway off the table.”

“I know. Hunk and I must either be saints or gluttons for punishment,” Keith said, turning to hide the smile on his face. He grabbed his boots and plopped down on the bed to put them on, continuing to appreciate Lance’s body as he unfortunately covered it up.

“You’re absolutely right. Hunk is a saint.” Lance stated, settling on the floor to work his own boots on. “You however, are the latter.” He glanced up and grinned, before he frowned at his coat before shrugging. “But, you can’t deny, I’m getting better at waking you up. There was no knife today.”

Keith laughed. “Yeah, it’s almost as if when you attack me, I attack back…” he teased, fixing Lance with a bemused look. He shrugged. “I prefer your new tactic.” Keith stood, fully dressed despite wishing very much that he was not. He wandered over to where Lance was straightening a few things and wrapped his arms around him as he leaned against his back.

Lance rolled his eyes. “You have no idea how close I was that first time to poking you in the side with a fire poker.” He shrugged again, but leaned back into Keith’s hold. “So… are you going to tell me yet, or do I have to wait longer?”

“You were going to stick me with a fire poker?!” Keith’s voice got shrill, cracking a little as he asked it. “What the fuck, Lance,” he laughed, shaking his head incredulously. “Yes, you’re definitely getting better, christ.”

Lance mock scowled. “I was trying to remember how it was done! I mean… I vaguely remember my brother waking me up by poking me with sticks….” He ducked his head a little, still leaning into Keith’s arms but a bit embarrassed now. At the time, it had seemed like a reasonable idea. He let one hand curl around one of Keith’s wrists, before he patted it lightly. 

He leaned a bit more into Keith’s hold, an absent smile on his face. “You know… now that I think about it… Pidge kind of reminds me of him. He was just a little bit vicious to the people he loved too….” Lance turned, and pressed a kiss to Keith’s cheek, before turning back to tucking things into his bag.

Keith chewed the inside of his cheek as he watched him. How long had it been since Lance had nearly faded away? It felt like another life. He wondered if Lance remembered any of his barely conscious ramblings. As much as he had learned about Lance, Keith knew he’d just scratched the surface. He had so many questions. He didn’t want to upset Lance, or say the wrong thing like he was prone to do, but Lance had never really divulged something personal so casually. “You, uh… don’t talk about them much…” 

“That’s true. But I’ve never had anyone that would listen either.” Lance shrugged, finally finishing with his bag, before he turned studying Keith’s face. “No one wants to hear the bad things. So, why talk about them?”

Keith’s chest got tight. “Well… I don’t mind… If you want to talk about them…” He sat on the edge of the bed facing Lance. “What was your brother’s name?”

Lance wrinkled his nose, but huffed a laugh. “Walter. Kind of a dumb name, but I sort of remember him getting mad if anyone shortened it.” He leaned against the table, hands clasped together. “I don’t really remember much.”

Keith hummed. “Was it just the two of you?” He leaned back on his hands. He wanted Lance to not feel any pressure, if he didn’t want to talk about it, Keith didn’t plan on pressing it.

He shook his head. “It was me, and Walter, my parents, my sister and… an uncle.” Lance smiled absently. “Shroud though, she’s the only younger sibling I have.”

Keith did his best to smile at Lance. “You make a great big brother, but I bet you were a really cute little kid.” Keith had felt the warm, easy weightlessness of basking in each other’s presence be sucked out of the room once more. And, while he felt so privileged to have Lance sharing pieces of himself with him, he couldn’t stand to watch the familiar tension set in Lance’s shoulders. He could at least throw him a lifeline in case he wanted it.

Lance’s smile grew just a little. “I don’t know. I’m pretty sure I was called a holy terror more than anything. I’d hide a lot and scare people, or talk to anyone that stopped long enough.” He shrugged. “I’m still a holy terror though.”

Keith snorted. “Your words, not mine,” he deadpanned, but the twinkling glance from the corner of his eye gave him away.

Lance glared. “As if you have any room to talk ‘glutton for punishment.’ Besides, I’m nothing compared to Shroud. Her pout is lethal, and if she doesn’t like you, you’ll know it. I’m at least mostly polite.”

“Oh, is that what you are,” Keith laughed. “I had no idea.”

Lance raised an eyebrow. “I have no idea why I like you.” He teased, before pushing off the table. “But… thanks. It was.. Nice to talk about them.. At least a little. You know, gotta remember the ones that came before, right?”

Keith stood and caught Lance in a kiss. “You can talk about them any time.” Keith brushed his fingers through Lance’s hair. “Now… I hate to say it, but we should probably see what the others are doing, otherwise they’ll end up coming up here, and trust me, it’ll be way worse that way.”

Lance chuckled, leaning into the touch. “You’re… probably right…” Lance wasn’t exactly ready to leave this quiet bubble of comfortable warmth he and Keith had currently. He wanted to stay there for just a little bit longer, and enjoy it. But, Keith was right. “Alright, we’ll go down, see what happened, and then I’ll go check on Shroud.” He reluctantly pulled back, chewing on his lip a bit. For the first time, Lance actually wanted to share his story with someone…. He just wished they had the time. “Let’s go then.” He caught up his coat, despite the warmth in the house and slipped it on. 

When Lance opened the door, they could hear Shiro’s low voice, mixed with Pidge’s higher one. Lance took a second to again regret leaving the quiet of their room before he made his way down the stairs, Keith following him very closely. He wasn’t sure why he was so uncomfortable, after all, he’d spent a great deal of time with all of them lately. But something felt different, and Lance couldn’t ignore it.

The second Lance’s feet stepped off the last stair, Shiro had both arms wrapped around him. Lance went rigid, as Shiro studied his face closely. “W-what are you doing?” This strange behavior did nothing to ease the worry churning in his gut. 

Shiro didn’t answer immediately, instead turning to pull Keith close and look him over as well. “I thought you said you two would stay out of trouble. I heard all about a fight in an alley where a gang was attacking two men.”

Time had stood still while Keith and Lance were wrapped up in each other, the run in with the Hyenas seeming like a distant memory. He winced when Shiro did something to aggravate the bruise on his side. “We weren’t exactly looking for trouble, Shiro. They were trying to take Shade. We didn’t have a choice but to fight… Luckily Shade was able to get us out of it.”

Lance inched away from Shiro and leaned against the wall, more comfortable there than at the table where Pidge and Hunk were. “Sorry…”

Pidge rolled her eyes. “Don’t apologize, it’s not your fault. Just make sure you stay with one of us from now on.” She met Shiro’s scowl evenly. “What?” Immediately, she ignored her own question and tossed a little pouch at Shiro. “Here, Allura got our pay for catching Rollo. But, don’t you worry, she’ll still be here later.” Pidge smirked, wiggling her eyebrows at her leader.

Shiro blushed as he reached for the pouch. “Thanks, Pidge,” he deadpanned, not quite meeting anyone’s eyes. He untied the bag and sifted through the contents. His eyes drifted to the ceiling as he seemed to calculate something. He fished out some of the money and gave it to Hunk, followed quickly by Keith. He pulled more out and handed it out to Shade, before fixing Pidge with a sharp look. “And yours I’m holding onto as incentive to not meddle tonight.”

Hunk sighed good naturedly, and shook his head, sharing a  _ ‘what-can-you-do’ _ look with Shade over Pidge’s head. It was her outraged shriek that drew his attention from the little handful of coins. 

With narrow eyes, she glared across the table. “I spent all day with Allura and you are only now worried about what I may do? Fine, but I will remember this the next time you fuck your arm up.”

Shiro scowled at her for another second or two before pulling out her share of coins and setting them in front of her. “You’re lucky I like Hunk,” he said as if anyone in the room believed he didn’t love Pidge like the kid sister he’d never had.

Pidge rolled her eyes, but a hint of a smile crossed her face. “That’s because everyone loves him.”

Hunk ducked his head a bit, hiding his wide smile. 

“But, I should probably tell you all what we learned. Bear with me, as it’s pretty complicated and hard to explain.” Pidge pointedly looked at Keith when she said this. 

Keith frowned. He didn’t like how that sounded. He glanced at Lance and went to sit in one of the chairs at the table.

“We’ve figured out that the one after Shade is a Lady Honerva of Galra Town.” Pidge’s slight smile quickly turned into a frown. “Lady Honerva is one of the smartest scientists in the area. Allura managed to get her hands on some research papers and I have to say she’s brilliant.” Pidge started ruffling through the mass of papers she had spread out on the table. “Her theory is that there’s an essence in everyone, which is what lets them be good at certain things. For example, that essence, kind of like a soul, would be what lets Shade use his shadows. From what we’ve gathered, and it’s pretty complicated, she feels she can remove that and give it to someone else.”

Hunk took over, settling his hands on Pidge’s shoulders and rubbing lightly. “We couldn’t figure out exactly how she’s doing it, but she ran some volunteer trials, and five out of seven people didn’t survive. We don’t exactly know how or why she knows about you Shade, but we’re pretty sure she wants to take your ability.”

“Whoa, hey… It’ll be alright. Come on, let go. I’m fine.” Lance’s voice was soft, but it still drew everyone’s eyes. He wasn’t looking at them anymore. He was still leaning against the wall, looking down at his own arms. Arms that were covered in vague dark shapes that were clinging to his clothes and skin. He was murmuring softly, slowly working free from the various holds.

“L-Shade?” Keith had just barely caught himself. “What, uh…” He wasn’t entirely sure what he was seeing.

Pidge’s eyes were fixed on Shade, but they snapped over to Keith briefly, before they darted back. 

“I’m fine.” Lance glanced up just enough to smile at the worried faces before he dropped his attention back to the shadows that were clinging to him. They didn’t like what they’d heard anymore than he did, but now was not the time to get clingy and panic. After another minute, he stepped away from the wall, looking completely normal. “Sorry.”

Pidge glanced at Hunk then both turned their eyes toward Shiro. 

Shrio took a deep breath. “It sounds like, from what I learned from some of the hunters in town, that Lady Honerva may be working with or for a man named Zarkon. Apparently, this guy is prominent in the Black Market and slaving trades.” Shiro looked around the group, uneasy as his eyes skirted past Shade. “His targets are specific. My contacts told me he’s ‘chasing myths’... you know, because people like that couldn’t possibly exist…”

“I don’t know much about the black market.” Lance mused, looking thoughtful. “There’s a guy in Kassis, that I could ask… but he’s expensive. The slaving traders are all broken up into groups though. It’s kind of like you guys. There’s a main group that works out of each city, but I tend to avoid cities…”

“I don’t know if that’s the best idea, Shade. He’s looking for people with… unique talents… people like you. I don’t want you putting yourself in danger.”

Lance bit at his lip, chewing on it with a little more force than was necessary. “I… understand that, but I don’t want to stay back and put you all at risk either…” He paused then shook his head. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had friends.. I’d.. like to keep you all a little longer.”

Keith reached his hand out towards Lance. He didn’t care if anyone teased him. “You’re stuck with us now,” he tried to comfort. “But, I agree with Shiro. You’re obviously being watched. Someone had to have sicked the Hyenas on us. We need to keep you safe.”

That made sense, it really did, but that didn’t tell him what they were going to do about it. He shifted closer, letting Keith’s hand curl around his arm. “I don’t mind sticking with one of you, like Pidge suggested, but none of you can go to the Sanctuary with me, and I can’t leave Shroud here with no one to look after her, she’s safer there… so what do we do?”

“I’m not actually sure.” Pidge admitted with a scowl. 

“This is… a lot to process,” Shiro said, rubbing his face. “Allura and Coran should be back soon. I think we should consider what our options are and reconvene in the morning.”

Lance bit at his lip again. “Before you go…” He glanced at Keith then focused on Shiro. It was easier to do that than to worry about all the eyes on him. “Shiro… do you remember sharing a joke with me in Krell?”

“Uh…” Shiro glanced around the group looking for help, until his eyebrows quirked for a second. “Wait. In the weapons shop?” It had been one of his trademark bad jokes, but it had only stuck out in his mind because he’d never seen Shade smile or laugh like that before or since.

The corners of Lance’s mouth curled upward a little. “Yes, in the weapons shop. I just wanted to tell you, that really was great. Lance holding a lance. Amazing.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and turned his face away, letting them put the pieces together on their own. 

Keith’s eyes got huge as he watched Lance. He had not expected that. His head whipped around to the others. Shiro looked confused, clearly about to ask what that was supposed to mean.

Hunk looked just as confused, but Pidge was starting to grin. She leaned up and whispered into Hunk’s ear. The confusion melted away into a wide happy smile, as he started at Shiro.

Shiro frowned at Pidge and Hunk’s reactions, hating being the last to piece something together. “What does Lance holding- wait.” Shiro looked from Lance to Keith to Hunk and Pidge and back to Lance again. “L-Lance?...” He tipped his head in Lance’s direction, asking.

Immediately, Lance’s eyes flicked back to Shiro. “Hmm?” He tried not to look nervous, but he was and so he probably failed. 

Shiro stood a little straighter. He opened and closed his mouth a couple times. “Lance… Lance, hmm? I’m sorry but it just doesn’t suit you,” Shiro said, face hard. “It’s an impractical weapon, it really won’t do for a bounty hunter, Lance, you should consider something else,” he said, a small smirk appearing on his face.

For a minute, Lance just stared before he raised an eyebrow. “Oh, well you’re the expert Shiro. You should maybe use it then and let me play with the guns.”

Pidge rolled her eyes. “Alright, enough with the bad jokes from both of you. Shiro, you are not allowed to ruin Lance with your bad habits.” She pointed first at him then to Keith. “It’s bad enough he has terrible taste with that one.”

“Pidge.”

“Fine, fine, Hunk. Lets just go make our plans. That way Shiro can wait for Allura here and Keith can go back to watching Lance like a lost puppy.”

Keith made a face at her as he stood. “His taste is no worse than Hunk’s,” he teased. “And I’m not a lost puppy,” he muttered as he turned to see what Lance wanted to do.

“I’m going to check on Shroud.” Lance stated firmly, still looking at Shiro. “I’ll jump straight there and straight back, that way no one can catch me, alright?”

“Which means,” Hunk stated, catching Keith by the arm. “I’m looking you over. A gang fight? Even you had to have gotten hurt…”

Keith frowned. “I’m fine, Hunk, you don’t need to look me over.” 

“Then it won’t take long for me to check that out myself.” He dragged Keith along with him, as a snickering Pidge followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> damn, three weeks is a long time. I hope y'all feel like it was worth it. I hate reading author's notes that make excuses for being late or taking a long time, so I'm not going to do that lol and for those that have asked where we've been and how things are going, Lindsay has been very busy with work and I just moved into a new house. I won't promise we'll get back on our every week schedule, but hopefully things get a little easier for us.
> 
> Thank you thank you thank you to those of you that have been trucking along with us for a long time now, your continued support and kind words mean the world to us. And for those of you who are new here, thank you for giving us a chance, I hope you'll stick around.
> 
> <3Holly


	19. In My Space

Hunk and Pidge tended to do their own things late in the evening. They were in the same room but focused on their own projects and ideas. It was a good way to spend time together without overwhelming Pidge. He spent his time sorting their medical supplies, wanting to be ready for anything that might happen. Handling Keith’s injuries was always a challenge, given that he hated being fussed over. He had been extra antsy tonight and Hunk had ended up simply spreading a salve on his bruises before finally letting him leave. 

The little weight on Hunk’s shoulder was what drew him out of his thoughts. He turned his head slightly, and caught sight of Pidge’s hair and her trademark green goggles. Her forehead was pressed on his shoulder, and he let his hand raise up and brush through her hair. It wasn’t often that she let him get away with those little acts of affection, but every time she did, Hunk loved her just a little bit more. 

“What is it?”

Pidge groaned into his shoulder and buried her face a little bit more. “It’s such a mess, Hunk. It’s good that we have S-Lance now, I mean I like him…”

“So do I.” Hunk prompted, willing to let her talk until she figured everything out, and willing to indulge himself as well. 

“I don’t think we like him as much as Keith does.” 

A chuckle. “Yes, that’s very true. I’ve never seen him like this.”

“It’s gross.” She stated firmly, then sighed, relaxing into the hand still moving through her hair. “But, Lance is one of us now. It’s just.. I don’t think we’ve ever had a job like this. They’ve always been so straight forward. Easy. We know who we’re after and we go get them. This though, this is different. We aren’t getting paid to catch a bad guy.”

“We’re still going to catch one though, right?”

“Of course.” Pidge’s hand came up and lightly smacked the back of Hunk’s head. “I just want us to be ready. If we aren’t… then Lance is going to get hurt, possibly die… and…” She finally raised her head and settled her chin on Hunk’s shoulder. “I don’t know how Keith will handle that…”

Hunk was silent for a long while. He didn’t speak even when thin arms finally wrapped around him and squeezed lightly. When he did, his words were soft but firm. “He wouldn’t. He’ll be gone and we both know it. I’d be the same way. I wouldn’t be able to stay.. Not without you.”

It was a testament to how serious he sounded that Pidge didn’t even pretend to groan or to roll her eyes as she usually would. She wasn’t great at showing it, but she did love her big softy. “I know… So then, we need to make our plans carefully, so that everyone makes it out of this.”

“We can’t do that by ourselves. We don’t know enough, not about why they want him, and not about what Zarkon’s role is...”

Pidge scowled, “that’s true. Then, we’re going to learn. I’ll dig up everything I can on Zarkon. You try and figure out what they want with Lance. Then, when were done, we show them exactly why you don’t mess with our own.”

….

The gentle lilt of Allura humming filled the small room. Shiro stole glances as she worked her fingers through her hair, spreading sweet scented oil through the thick locks. She moved about the room in sure footed strides, seemingly lost in thought as she did. Shiro continued to work the day’s dirt and grime out of his arm, following the dirty rag with a grease streaked one as he reached each joint. He was glad for the distraction, knowing full well he’d be unable to take his eyes off Allura otherwise.

Shiro looked up when Allura dropped heavy on the edge of her bed. Like this, the layered skirt of Allura’s dress brushed against Shiro’s ankles, their knees nearly touching. Shiro cleared his throat, returning to his work. “You’re worried about Lance.” It wasn’t a question, they all were worried.

Allura swept her hair over her shoulders, fixing Shiro with a serious look that twitched in frustration when she realized Shiro was still pretending to clean his damn prosthetic. “I’m worried about all of you.”

Shiro’s eyes finally stayed locked on Allura, the rags momentarily forgotten. “O-oh… Well… We’ll figure out a plan. I won’t put any of them in danger.” He smiled, swallowing his nerves and placing a reassuring hand over her knee.

Allura covered his hand with her own, now the one refusing to make eye contact. Lance was someone she had grown rather close to, and she knew Coran had come to love him as one of his own. This rag tag group of hunters had managed to worm their way into their homes and, despite how strange it felt to say, their hearts. She didn’t want to imagine what harm could come to them, nor the devastation that would be felt in its wake. 

She sighed heavily, patting Shiro’s hand as she stood. She crossed the room to the open wardrobe, fingers trailing across various clothing until she located her nightgown. “Would you,” she asked over her shoulder, gathering her hair out of the way.

Shiro closed the distance between them, glad Allura was facing away from his red cheeks. He unhooked the delicate eyelet settled between Allura’s shoulder blades. His fingers worked slowly down the back of the dress, fingertips and knuckles occasionally brushing dark skin. When the last one was undone, he spread the bodice wide so she could step out of it when she was ready. He leaned his forehead on her now mostly bare shoulder.

“I won’t let anything happen,” he whispered.

“You better not, or I’ll come after you myself.” She turned, blinking up at him, daring him to not believe her.

Shiro snorted. “I’m pretty sure you against me and my team would be an unfair fight,” he said, turning when she started to free her arms from the sleeves of the gown. “You’d kick all of our asses.”

Allura laughed as she undressed and slipped on her nightgown. Her fingers danced across his shoulders and down an arm as she passed him heading towards her bed. “Just promise you’ll all come back to me,” she murmured, pulling back the covers and letting the unspoken words settle around them.

“We’ll figure something out.” 

Shiro brushed a strand of Allura’s hair behind her ear, lingering as long as he felt he could. He turned down the lamp on his side of the room to a faint glow and quietly let himself out into the hallway. He’d make sure his team was taken care of, that this would go as smoothly as possible, and that he could come back to Allura. Whatever it took.

….

When Keith finally reached the room he shared with Lance he was surprised to see that Lance was already back. He was sitting at the end of the bed, eyes on his lap. The room was lit by only one lamp and as Keith watched, Lance started talking. 

“It’s been a weird couple of weeks, hasn’t it?” His eyes were still fixed on his lap, but he hummed a couple of times, before he raised his head up to stare at the wall. “That’s true… I don’t think either of us had any idea we’d be here now when this all started…” There was a tiny smile curled at the edge of his mouth. 

Lance sighed, long and low. “But, it isn’t exactly a good thing, is it? I mean… I have these… friends now and… it’s nice. I like seeing them, and being included… but I don’t like knowing they could get hurt because of me. I… don’t like… No, I hate the thought that Keith could get hurt.” 

He paused, head tilting slightly, before he huffed an exasperated laugh. “Really? I sit down for a serious talk with you and you’re already being an asshole? I’d be surprised, but it’s you, Slade.” Lance shook his head several times. 

“It’s just… I feel like… I’ve caused them so many problems.” Lance let his eyes fall into his lap, finally looking away from his shadow on the wall, and studying his hands. “If you think about it, they probably wouldn’t even be here if it hadn’t been for me. They would be off on another job, something that they’d actually get paid for. Shiro wouldn’t be… walking around with that worried look all the time. Hunk wouldn’t be… off babysitting Pidge as she worked herself to death looking for information…” Lance swallowed. “Keith… wouldn’t be getting hurt in fights on the streets…” 

For a long moment, there was nothing but silence. 

“That’s true… they probably would be doing all of that still, but you can’t actually argue the fact they’d get paid.” Lance nodded. “That’s what I thought. Hmm? Oh… Well, she’s happier. But, I honestly don’t know if that’s because of them or because I’m always here… I think it’s a bit of both. I’ve caught her smiling at Hunk and Coran… and… Narti adores Keith.” Lance ducked his head a bit. 

He flipped his hands over, studying his palms. “You’re right… it isn’t all bad, I’m just not sure that the good is outweighing the bad…” Abruptly, Lance’s head snapped up, staring at the wall. “What? But that’s…” Lance started, abruptly stopped then chuckled. “You’re an asshole, Slade, but you always know what to say to snap me out of a funk.” 

“Maybe you’re right…” Lance was still speaking quietly, but he sounded a bit more like himself. “I just, have to work a little harder. We both know that nothing is easy, and that sometimes even if you work for it, it doesn’t always work out…” His head raised again. “It’s just… I’m not used to having so much to lose. For a long time, it’s just been me and you, and then, we found Narti. It wasn’t hard, to put her first. She’s so sweet, and she deserves way more than I could ever give her…” 

Lance sighed. “But, now… There’s Hunk, and Pidge… who tell me jokes and Shiro who is so much fun to tease… and… Keith.” A watery chuckle. “Yes, he was an asshole. But, you’ve seen him, lately. You saw him, in the market… he was so angry. I’ve never… had anyone do that for me. I’ve done it for Narti, but…” Lance shook his head before a small pleased smile crossed his face, just barely visible in the dim light.  “He said he loves me…. And… I’ve never wanted anything more than that….”

There was another long silence.

“I’m… a little scared that I’ll lose it all. That no matter what we do, or try… it’s not going to end well… What?” Lance’s head came up again, but this time he turned, wide eyes meeting Keith’s from across the room. “Oh… Um… I was just…” 

Keith bashfully stepped into the room. He hadn’t really meant to eavesdrop on… whatever this was, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself. “Who, uh… who are you talking to?” He closed the door behind him and went to join Lance on the bed.

Lance bit his lip, chewing on it for a moment. “My shadow. I call it, Slade.” He’d decided earlier that he wanted to tell Keith his secrets. That was as good of a place to start as any. 

Lance had mentioned Slade, and while Keith had witnessed firsthand what he could do with shadows, it was still hard to wrap his head around Lance’s relationship to the shadows. Keith wasn’t sure just how much of the conversation he should fess up to hearing. “Well, Slade-” Keith called out, like someone indulging a small child and their imaginary friend, not quite looking in the right spot. “You can tell Lance he’s got nothing to worry about.” Keith let his upper body fall back on the mattress.

Lance blinked, then chuckled. “You’re both assholes.” He murmured fondly. He glanced at Keith out of the corner of his eyes, then dropped his head a little. “Listen… I.. meant what I said, when I told you that I… want to tell you my secrets. I… want you to know me. I’m not really sure where to start… so… is there… anything you want to know?”

Keith rolled onto his stomach, arms tucked under his head as he watched Lance closely. “How long have you been able to… do the things you do? With the shadows…”

“I don’t actually remember not being able to honestly… I mean.. I’ve always heard them, and it was easy to sort of… be overlooked if I didn’t want to be found. But some things like.. Disappearing? I had to practice.”

Keith hummed, trying to picture a little Lance running around, popping in and out of sight. He must have been such a handful for his parents. The small smile that had started to pull at the corner of his mouth, stopped in its tracks. “How old were you when you lost your family?” Keith’s voice was soft, as if it somehow would make the blow of the words softer in turn.

Lance immediately started chewing on his lip. “I thought you’d pick up on that.” He leaned back a little, resting on his palms. “I’m pretty sure I was five. I took my new name right after.”

“Jesus christ, Lance-” Keith’s voice came out breathless. Keith pushed himself up and wrapped his arms around Lance. He had figured he was young, but knowing that Lance had witnessed at least some of it, at that age- “I… I want to be honest with you too…” Keith knew in his heart that he’d never lie to Lance again, not when it had almost taken him away. “When you were fading, you talked. I don’t know how conscious you were, it was mostly incoherent, and I think the others wrote some of it off as bad dreams, at least at first, but I think you were talking about your past.”

Lance tensed a little, and huffed. “I’m not actually surprised. I vaguely remember talking, but not what I said… and that happens when I push myself to that point…” He sighed, but leaned a bit into Keith’s hold. “That actually… makes it a little bit easier to tell you this. Just… Stay here, Until I’m done?”

“O-oh… alright.” Keith let go of Lance, watching him with apprehension. 

Lance mourned the loss of those warm arms before he straightened. “You have to understand, I don’t remember too much, a lot of it I had to worm out of Slade after, and it did not want to tell me about it.” Lance started, his words slow and chosen with care. “I’ve been an unfortunate since birth. I know that we lived in this abandoned shack near Taujeer. I told you before that it was me, my brother and sister, our parents and my.. Uncle.”

He paused, then carried on, eyes absently drifting around the room. “Walter went first. My uncle took him. He said that since he was the oldest, that he would help him find some work, and it would help.. Ease the strain on the family. Slade told me that he sold him to some slavers. My sister, Lita, went the same way.”

“But, they weren’t actually the ones that he wanted.” Lance’s voice was still slow and careful, his face blank. “Apparently, he wanted to sell the one that would actually bring him money, enough to do… whatever it was he did. Well, My parents didn’t want to lose all their children, and so…”

Lance abruptly shifted, slipping one of Keith’s knives from it’s sheath. “He came late one night, with a dagger.” He turned the knife about, like he was showing it to Keith. “Demanded that they hand me over. In the end, he ended up stabbing them and laughing over how stupid they were to consider that they, as unfortunates, could decide anything. I do remember the dagger. It was thinner than this… not as well cared for… I remember being tucked in a corner, watching the blood drip as he called my name.”

Lance paused again, then casually dropped the knife onto the bed. “When he couldn’t find me, he set the shack on fire, and waited outside for me to run out. But, I couldn’t. I was too scared, too… panicked. The house was old, and it had been a really dry year so it didn’t take long for the whole place to be covered in fire. Even though Slade tried to tell me to move, or run, I couldn’t. I stayed there, pressed against the wall, even though it burned my skin. Slade ended up taking me to the city… the one you saw…”

Keith regretted letting go of Lance. His arms ached to embrace him, to try desperately to make up for a whole life’s worth of missed comfort and affection, but his shock rooted him to his spot. Even having heard vague pieces of the story, Keith had not been prepared. “L-lance…” he choked out. He couldn’t understand how someone could do something so horrific, and to family no less. How did you even begin to console someone after something like that? He slowly reached for Lance’s hand. “I… I’m… so glad you’re alive,” he breathed out, still trying to wrap his head around it. “You’re the bravest man I know, and I can’t believe you once told me otherwise…” Keith shook his head.

Lance shook his head. “But I didn’t do anything brave. I couldn’t even save myself.” He smiled, small and thin. He cleared his throat and let his fingers lace together with Keith’s. “A-anyway, I spent a while in that city, time’s… strange there, so I’m not really sure how long. That’s probably why they’re so protective. They’d like me to stay there, where I’m safe, but you can’t live there.” He peeked at Keith’s face. “What.. else can I tell you?” Lance was more than ready to move on from that subject.

Keith brought their entwined fingers up to his mouth and kissed Lance’s knuckles. “You were five, Lance, just because you get scared, doesn’t mean you aren’t brave. You kept going, taking care of yourself, and then Shroud… Narti… you did whatever it took, that’s pretty brave.”

It took a moment for Lance to remember using Narti’s name as he talked to Slade, and he sighed a little. “Yeah… but, you’ve seen her, and talked to her. Narti is…” Lance shook his head. “I named her. I wanted her to have a name that was all hers, something special and unique. Like she is. You.. don’t know how far I’d go for her…” Lance chuckled. “Well… maybe you do…”

Keith smiled at him. He squeezed his hand and sighed, leaning closer to Lance. He hated thinking about all the pain Lance had been through, and even the good parts of his past like finding a family in Narti, were still stained in grief. Enough of the past, Keith wanted Lance to think of better things. “When we finish things here, and we know you’ll be safe, I’m pretty sure the team will want to go back home, take some time off… you and Narti… you’ll come with us right?”

_ Shit _ . Lance had been dedicatedly not thinking about what might happen after this was over. “Oh… Um… Where is that?” He turned a little, leaning just a bit on Keith’s shoulder. “I honestly thought you all lived in Arus…”

“Just a little further south. Less than half a days travel, so, I mean, if you didn’t want to, we’d still be close enough to see each other some and to let you know when we find another job… but…” But Keith had been spoiled by always having Lance around, seeing him constantly, waking up to him… he wasn’t ready to give that up.

“I…” Lance chewed on his lip. “Do you all… stay together? Or.. Do Hunk and Pidge have their own place?” He was stalling, he knew it, but he needed a couple more minutes to think.

“Sort of both… Shiro designed and built it when he first left his guild to work for himself. We were both still pretty young, but we’d managed to save some money. He built it in a summer while I was finishing up a side job- Anyway, he originally built two houses, but I guess he realized I was a little young to have my own house, and you know how he is, he hovers, and you can’t exactly do that from next door, so he built a big communal area between the two. It was weird being by myself after the shipyard and bunking with Shiro’s guild for so long, so we ended up in the same half anyway… so when Hunk and Pidge came along, it just made sense to move them in…”

“That sounds nice…” Lance stated wistfully. He liked the idea of a large space full of people. Of being at home but still being able to hear others. “I’d always wanted to find a home for Narti someday… But, it sounds like yours is pretty full… I wouldn’t want to be in someone else’s space.”

“I want you in my space… that’s the point… but luckily Shiro built the houses pretty big. ‘Just in case,’ he said. Both have two bedrooms, three if you count the little ones we keep gear and whatever else in. Bathroom, place to cook, place to eat, place to relax. If you shut the door to the middle room, you’d be completely self contained… So… if you and Narti want to… I’m already coming up with ways to bribe Hunk and Pidge.”

He could hear the honesty in Keith’s voice; and Lance wanted to say yes. He wanted… so badly to. He took a fairly shaky breath. “I’m… not really sure what you need to bribe them for… but, if you.. Really want us there, even with all the changes it would bring to your… probably quiet home… then.. Alright. I.. I want to have a place with you… to share your space and to see you everyday… I’d like to finally be able to tell Narti… we were  _ home… _ ”

“I want that too.” He rubbed slow circles on the back of Lance’s hand. “Which is why we need to bribe Hunk and Pidge to get out of my house and take my room in Shiro’s… Then there will be plenty of room for you, me and Narti under the same roof… if you’re alright with that. I could always let you and Narti take my room at Shiro’s,” he started to ramble.

Lance immediately shook his head. “I don’t really… want to stay without you. Besides, eventually, Allura will be done with Shiro’s fumbling and she’ll either drag him off to stay with her, or invade his space… and Allura’s nice… but she’s a little… much at times.” 

Keith laughed, slowly falling into a sweet smile. The idea of Lance and Narti, safe and happy and taken care of in his home was so damn appealing. “I can’t wait to take you home.”

_ Home _ . It had been so long since Lance had one. The idea that he was going to have one again, was almost impossible to believe. Of course, that depended on them solving Lance’s current mess successfully. “I… I wish we could go now. I really… want to go home with you, Keith…” Lance leaned his head onto Keith’s shoulder. “You… really think it will end alright?”

“With incentive like that, yes.” Keith leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on Lance’s lips. “We’re gonna get to the bottom of this and take care of the people behind it so we can sit comfortable in our home and not worry about anything except whose turn it is to clean, and I can wake up to you every morning and watch you play with Narti and tell you how much I love you.”

Just like the time before Lance was hit with a wave of emotion. Fondness, happiness and something else rushed through him. It almost made his heart hurt. “That sounds… really nice. I mean… you’ll probably have to fight Narti for me in the morning, but I can watch her stare at you adoringly. I can… enlist you to help me tell stories at night, and when I… wake up in the middle of the night, like I always do… someone will be right there…”

Keith kissed Lance harder this time, the emotional ups and downs of their conversation lacing it with desperation. “Forever, if you’ll let me,” he murmured between kisses, his hand coming up to cup Lance’s cheek.

There was something about the way Keith kissed him that made Lance almost instantly melt into it. It didn’t matter if they were soft chaste pecks or deep passionate ones, the effect was the same. Lance found himself leaning into Keith more, hands slowly drifting up to curl around his neck. “W-what did I tell you before…” He stole his own kiss this time. “I said, that I… wanted to stay… as long as you wanted me to.”

“M’f- forever it is then.” Keith let himself fall back to the bed, pulling Lance along with him. He wasted no time in tangling his legs around Lance’s and carded his hands through his hair.

Lance lost himself in Keith’s warm mouth, and let his hands roam freely. He liked the slight sting when Keith’s fingers curled tightly in his hair, and pulled back just enough to look down at him. His hair spread on the pillow, his cheeks flushed. Lance immediately dove back in for another kiss. “You look… unfairly good right now.”

Keith huffed a breath of air as his cheeks heated. The way Lance talked about him would probably never cease to overwhelm him. And it didn’t make sense, Keith couldn’t comprehend how someone as amazing and beautiful as Lance could think that about Keith. He lifted his hips, worming his arms and legs around Lance’s body, wanting to be closer still. He muffled his words with kisses to Lance’s neck and jaw. “No-no, you- you’re so pretty, so perfect, so good, so…”

Lance cut him off by twisting away just enough to swiftly duck his head and kiss Keith again. His hands settled in the dip of Keith’s waist, fingers darting under the fabric of Keith’s shirt to trail over any skin he could reach. He pulled back just enough to take a breath before he latched onto the skin over Keith’s pulse point. Covering the area with kisses, bites and licks. “You have… no idea. No idea… how gorgeous you are…” He murmured as he slowly moved his mouth down and his fingers up to Keith’s chest. “Can I…”

BANG BANG BANG

“Keith? Keith are you in there?”

Keith jumped so hard, his nose collided with some part of Lance, elbows and knees slamming into each other in an attempt to feign some semblance of appropriateness. “Ow- ah h-hang on!” Keith pushed Lance off him, hoping he could get to the door before Shiro decided to just come in for whatever he needed. Lance thudded to the floor like a very heavy ragdoll. “Shit, Lance are you alright,” he hissed as he climbed off the bed, trying to will away the tent in his pants. “Y-yeah, Shiro?” He held a firm hand on the door, looking over his shoulder to check on Lance.

For a brief second, Lance wondered why it was that anytime someone came to the door that he always seemed to end up on the floor. He groaned, and glared up at the ceiling. So much for a nice evening with Keith. He threw an arm over his face as he prudently wiggled half his body under the bed. “I hate your entire team…” He muttered.

A smile quirked Keith’s lips until he heard Shiro start to speak again, his irritation coming back full force. “I’m about to work on our training strategy, are you coming?”

Keith’s back straightened. For as long as he’d been with Shiro, he’d always sat and listened while he talked himself through strategies and travel routes and any other thing Shiro could possibly pre-plan. As he got older, he started giving suggestions, his morally supportive presence slowly becoming more of a collaboration, bouncing ideas off of one another until one stuck. Even when it didn’t warrant a full blown discussion, Keith would fall asleep to Shiro mumbling the next day’s agenda in their shared tent. He chewed his cheek while looking back at Lance. “I, uh, thought we were calling it a night?...”

“Oh, well if you’re tired…”

Keith cracked open the door. “N-no, I’m coming, just give me a few minutes…” Shiro nodded and headed back down the hall. Keith breathed out a frustrated sigh before walking back over to Lance. “I’ll be back as quick as possible,” he promised.

Hesitantly, Lance peeked out over the arm covering his face. “It’s… alright. I understand.” He let his mouth quirk up slightly. “But if you leave without kissing me, I’ll kill you in your sleep.”

“Why do you think I walked back over here,” Keith teased. “Do I have to come all the way down there, or are you gonna meet me in the middle?” He nudged Lance’s side with his toe.

Lance nodded. “Yes, as you dumped me here, the least you can do, is lean down.” He raised an eyebrow. 

Keith rolled his eyes, but smiled as he kneeled down to reach Lance. Lance lifted his head enough to angle into the kiss, and Keith used to space to cradle his head away from the hard floor. Keith kissed him slowly, like the floor wasn’t biting into his knees, like Shiro wasn’t waiting somewhere downstairs for him.

Lance returned the slow consuming kiss. He lost several minutes to the warmth of Keith's mouth, the feel of his fingers curling in his hair, until finally Lance had to push him back. “If you don’t go right now, I… won’t be able to let you go.” He sighed, against Keith’s lips. “Even if he was standing in the doorway…” Lance again smiled up at that handsome face. “Go, I’ll be here when you get back.”

Keith groaned in frustration. He placed one last quick kiss to Lance’s lips. “You gonna stay on the floor, or do you want a hand up?”

Lance stared before stating flatly. “If I touch you again, I cannot be held responsible for my actions.” He slowly worked his way out, and back to his feet before he dropped onto the bed. Lance waited until the door finally closed behind an obviously reluctant Keith, before he dropped his face into the pillows with a groan. He laid there for several minutes, thinking of every single unattractive thing that he could to try and will himself back to normal. Honestly, Lance kind of wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole. 

Minutes ticked by, and he slowly shifted around, eyes darting along the walls before he muttered a half-hearted “shut it.” 

Eventually he settled on his side, which was how he usually slept if he wasn’t on the road. His head was tucked into his right arm that was curled underneath it, while his left arm was slightly extended across the small bit of space between him and the edge of the bed. 

Shiro and Keith chatted as they walked back to the bedrooms. Shiro said goodnight as he let himself into the room he and Allura were sharing. Keith waved, waiting until the door was shut before hastily walking down the hallway. His smile was wide as he slipped into the room. “Alright, La-” his smile slipped as he turned. There was Lance, soft like he only really was when he was sleeping. Keith let his shoulders drop, and a disappointed breath blow out of him since no one was going to witness it anyway. 

He crept across the room as quietly as he could. He let himself stare for a minute, Lance relaxed and undisturbed was too mesmerizing not to. The frustration in his gut was slowly being pushed out by warmth. As much as he wanted to continue their earlier endeavors, this was pretty good too. It was impossible to be mad at Lance getting the rest he deserved. Keith stripped down into what he planned to sleep in, and gently worked his way into the bed with Lance, curling around him until Lance’s back was flush with Keith’s chest. Keith nuzzled his nose into the soft hairs on Lance’s nape and let his breath fall in sync with the soft snores in front of him.

Lance stirred, when warm arms suddenly curled around him. It was a foreign feeling, but Lance really liked it. “Mmm...Keith?” His voice was low and the words slightly slurred.

“Yeah, go back to sleep,” he hushed, placing a kiss on the back of Lance’s neck. He pulled him a little closer, burrowing his face into his broad shoulders.

Lance mumbled a little, the words mostly muffled into the crook of his arm. “Mmm… it’s nice… I like it.” He curled just a bit more, back and legs pressed completely against Keith’s chest and legs, as his eyes slipped closed again. “Keith….  ….you…”

Keith tensed all the way up. All the warm drowsiness that had started to pull at him was gone. “W-what,” he managed to work through his dry mouth, but Lance didn’t stir. Keith’s heart skipped a beat before it decided to pump double time to make up for it. Had Lance said… almost said- what Keith thought? Suddenly the bed was much too warm, and he’d have slipped right back out the door, down the stairs and out the front door for some fresh air if Lance wasn’t already so tangled up in him. 

He held his breath trying to calm his nerves. Slowly as he counted Lance’s deep breaths, he managed to eek back into a weariness that was close enough to sleepy for his muscles to relax, and he fell into sleep without even realizing he was doing so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello everyone!
> 
> [CHECK OUT THIS AMAZING ART BY JILLI-BEAN!!!](http://jilli-bean.tumblr.com/post/174348781915/this-is-a-sketch-commissioned-by-the-lovely)
> 
> My handsome stabby boy T.T cry forever he's so beautiful. Anyway, thank you all so much for reading and sticking with us. You guys keep us excited and motivated. Thank you.
> 
> <3 Holly


	20. Preparations

“All I’m saying, Pidge.” Lance groaned from his spot on the ground. “ _Is_ that this isn’t how I usually fight. I never said I _couldn’t_ fight… just not like you all do.”

“That’s basically the same thing.” She smirked as she peered down at him. “If Hunk and I can beat you, then you’ve got no chance with Keith or Shiro.”

“Pidge-” Shiro warned as he made his way from the edge of the clearing, Keith and Hunk in tow. “It’s alright, Lance, let’s just get a better feel for what you can do first.” He patted Lance’s shoulder

Keith picked some leaves from Lance’s hair, trying to bite back his smile at the petulant look on Lance’s face. “I won’t kick your ass too hard,” he teased.

Lance scowled and opened his mouth but Pidge beat him to it.

“I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy it more than you should.” Pidge grinned. “Besides, on the bright side, once we know who you work with best, you’ll be able to train as partners… unless Shiro keeps you solo. Since Hunk and I are partners we train together not against each other.”

“Alright, Lance,” Shiro interjected, all business. “I’ll let you take your pick on the next round, me or Keith.”

“If you’re smart,” Keith stage whispered. “You’ll fight Shiro first. He’s gotten slower in his old age.”

“Very funny, Keith,” Shiro deadpanned.

“Look.” Keith turned towards Lance and got serious. “You were pretty good at evading Hunk before, he was definitely taking it easier on you than he should have, but Shiro’s style is a faster and more vicious version of Hunk’s, you can evade if you’re smart and if you’re quick enough you can use his weight against him. He’s not as likely to use diversions as Pidge, so you won’t have to worry about falling for the same trick twice.”

“Are you implying that I can only win by distracting?”

“Pretty sure there was no implication.” Lance muttered as he stood up and dusted himself off. “Honestly, it doesn’t matter who I fight next. But I’m asking for Shiro because he won’t make me feel bad about it after like Pidge did.”

“No one is going to give you a hard time anymore.” Shiro gave Pidge a hard look. “We’re a team now and need to help make each other better, no matter the skill level. Now, Lance, before we start… make sure you’re watching your stance, keep your feet more firmly planted and you won’t have to worry about being tripped the second the sun is reflected into your eyes.”

“That makes sense… I’ve got to get used to fighting in the daylight, I suppose.” Lance shifted his feet a bit, fully prepared to hit the ground hard in the next minute.

“Don’t attempt to block his prosthetic,” Keith called from where the others had gathered at the edge of the clearing, lounging in the Shade. “Remember what I told you!”

Shiro moved slowly around Lance, reminding him of the predators often lurking in the darker parts of the woods. He felt even smaller and more outmatched than he had with Hunk or even Pidge. He planted his feet and brought his hands up in the defensive position Shiro had showed him earlier. Shiro made every move look effortless, a testimony to how long he had been doing this. He had an eerie focus, hardly looking like the kind and goofy man Lance had come to know. He managed to dodge Shiro’s first attack, but Shiro had anticipated it and used the movement to roll Lance into a headlock.

“Not bad,” Shiro praised cheerfully.

“Okay… I am not fast enough for this…” Lance grumbled, shoving his coat off and dropping it on the ground. “Lets go again.”

Shiro was smiling widely. “Of course. Your footing was much better, I can tell you listened to Keith. This time, watch your follow through, don’t stop moving between strikes if you can help it, stay fluid.” Shiro nodded towards him, dropping into his starting position, the smile falling from his face.

Shiro repeated the same initial attack, step for step. From the stalking circle around Lance, to darting in with a right jab. Lance dodged again, digging his feet into the dirt, and Shiro spun with him, arms swooping in to pull Lance into that same headlock. The cool breeze of the afternoon chilled the sweat clinging to Lance’s arms, and he smirked.

Lance pushed at Shiro’s left arm, using the momentum to dance out of the way. The slight lift to Shiro’s eyebrow the only reaction on his stony face. Feeling just this side of cocky, Lance made to trip Shiro up, much the same way Pidge had done to him. Shiro, however, caught him by the foot, hauling it up above his head and sending Lance tipping backwards until his hair was brushing the ground below him.

After a moment, Shiro gently set him down. “That was really great improvement, Lance!” He beamed from where he was crouched over his sprawled out form.

Lance made a muffled noise and groaned. “Ugh…. if you say so… but.. Now I know what you all do for fun….”

“I didn’t know you could bend that way.” Hunk murmured. “Are you alright?”

“Just fine…”

“That was a pretty sly move,” Keith said as he pulled Lance to his feet. “It’s not often that anyone can surprise Shiro in a fight.”

“Oh, well it’s not like it did me much good. But..” He shrugged, and picked his coat back up, sliding it on. “I lasted longer, so there was that.”

“You did better than I thought.”

“Pidge… did you expect me to land on my face again?”

“Possibly…. I can neither confirm that… or deny it.”

“You were definitely quicker on your feet,” Shiro commented. “Are you like Keith- more determined once you’re pissed off and have something to prove?”

“Hey!”

Lance actually shook his head. “No. See, I don’t actually expect to do well at all. This.. isn’t how I fight. So of course I’m going to fail at it right now. But, really, I was faster because my coat is heavy. It’s like taking off your boots so you swim easier.”

“Jesus, Lance, how heavy is your coat,” Keith asked.

Shrugging, he slipped it back off and tossed it to Keith. “I’m used to it, so it’s hard to compare.”

The coat hit Keith with an audible _whump_ , his body sagging with the unexpected weight of it. “Lance, this is almost as heavy as the tent!”

Confused, Lance scowled and took his coat back. “No it’s not. Hunk’s pack is heavier. I can’t even lift that.”

“It’s still as heavy as the tent by itself,” Keith continued, distracted.

“Alright, Lance, Keith, in the ring. Lance, leave the coat off, I want to see what you’re fully capable of.”

Keith led the way to center of the clearing, but instead of crouching into the position Lance had seen him use when sparring with the others, he turned and waited for Lance to catch up. “I don’t think we’re playing to your strengths. If I’m gonna beat you, I don’t want it to be because we didn’t give you a fighting chance.” Keith pulled out a couple of small knives, sleek and sharp, sloping into delicate rings on one end. “You’re like Pidge, you aren’t the strongest, but you’re quick and you’re smart. You can distract and deflect and trick your opponents. Keep them at a distance and you’ll never have to worry about hand to hand unless as a last resort.” Keith handed the small blades to Lance. “These are throwing knives. You seemed to have pretty good aim when we were up against Rolo.”

Lance studied the knives carefully, much like he had the last knife Keith had handed him. These were longer, and much thinner than the last one, but they were of course, well cared for and had good balance. “See… that is closer to how I usually do things… but I thought the point was to see how much work I need to do on how you all fight…” Still, Keith’s suggestion sounded a lot better than getting knocked into the ground like he had been all day. “Alright. Let’s do that.”

The corner of Keith’s mouth tilted as he stepped back a few paces. “Ready?”

Lance shook his head for a moment, fingers still trailing over the knife, testing the balance and edge. He wasn’t one for simply using anything unless there was no other option, like their fight before with the Hyena’s. When he was satisfied, he smirked at Keith. “I may have to work out an… exchange with you for knife maintenance. These are very nice. But, I’m ready.”

Keith dropped into a low stance before taking off at a sprint. Lance gripped the knives tight, eyes narrowing as he tried to track Keith, waiting for his chance to pin him much like he had Rolo, but Keith was quick. He was barely more than a blur as he circled Lance once, swiping his leg across Lance’s ankles before launching at him and tackling him to the ground. He was not about to miss an opportunity to see Lance on his back, and he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t been impatiently waiting for his turn after watching his entire team spreading Lance out beneath them. He gave Lance a moment to catch his breath before smirking and leaning a little closer to whisper in his ear. “So you’re telling me you want me to polish your blade,” Keith teased. “Because I can definitely do that.”

A laugh huffed out of him, without his permission. Lance had been trying to stay as serious as possible to show he was taking it seriously, but he couldn’t help himself in answering Keith just as softly. “Oh… no. I can _polish_ just fine… I need you to keep it… smoothly on target.” He grinned unrepentantly.

Keith sat back on his haunches, head tipped back in a laugh. Lance twirled a blade in his fingertips and if Keith didn’t know any better, he’d think he was an old pro. Staring straight into Keith’s eyes, Lance stabbed the blade into the earth beside them. As Keith started to pick himself off the ground, he realized he was stuck, pinned to his place by the knife in the dirt, and similarly, his shadow. He raised a questioning eyebrow, a blush coloring his cheeks as Shiro called an end to their round. Lance smirked and fluidly snatched the knife, freeing Keith before the others started to question why Keith was still straddling Lance. Keith stood, holding his hand out for Lance, a wide smile still on his face. “If you’re not too sore after this, I’ll show you my best tricks.” He made sure not to let too much innuendo drip from his lips as Shiro headed towards them.

Lance still didn’t feel as comfortable around Shiro as he did Keith so he ducked his head a bit, letting Keith pull him off the ground. “You know… I do better in the dark.” He glanced at Keith but spoke to Shiro. “This is… a lot more difficult than you all make it look.” He rolled his shoulders, then relaxed just a bit, letting himself settle more into his own skin.

“You’re holding up really well, Lance. Don’t forget we’ve been doing this a long time and you’re not going to catch up over night,” Shiro said with a sympathetic smile.

“He has a point though,” Keith interjected. “We’re asking him to fight on our terms, but we haven’t given him a chance to fight on his.”

“That’s not a bad point, Keith. Everyone on this team has their own specialties, and it wouldn’t make sense not to embrace them to the fullest.”

Pidge looked up from her papers, because not even Shiro’s diplomatic wording about training can keep her from her own thing for long, and waved a hand at them all. “So why don’t we mix things up a bit. Instead of day training maybe we can have a day where we practice at night. It doesn’t matter to me overly much when we do it.” She shrugged, and continued. “Besides, how else am I supposed to learn what Lance can do.”

“Pidge. You could politely ask.” Hunk nudged her lightly with his shoulder.

“That is far too much work.”

Keith looked back towards Lance. “I’m fine with it if you are. In fact, I’m with Pidge, I want to see you in action.” He bit back a smile.

The stark differences between how they fought and how Lance did were obvious, even if Lance was currently the only one that knew about it. Shiro and Keith were straightforward, aiming more for speed and precision. Hunk in a way, was similar, however he leaned more toward incapacitation. Pidge was probably the closest to how Lance fought, with distractions and deflections but Lance tended to not stick around for long. His goal was never to make someone _stay_ down, but for them to be down long enough that he could get away.  Also, Lance was of the firm opinion that if it worked, it was fair. He would use any dirty trick he could think of to make sure he was the one to get away.

He shook his head, to chase his thoughts away. “I don’t exactly mind.” He shrugged, fingers twitching slightly, in an effort not to move them about as he spoke. “I need to spend some time with Shroud tomorrow though, so maybe the day after?”

Shiro’s agreement buzzed a bit in Lance’s ears as he started directing Hunk through some sort of specialty training. Lance was sure he should be paying close attention, trying to learn a bit more so he could catch up faster, but he kept thinking about their planned night training instead. What skills should he use and which ones should he wait to share? He liked them all, trusted them far more than most, but it was hard to simply give all his secrets away.

Slade whispered in his ear as he watched Hunk grapple with Shiro while Pidge and Keith both called out suggestions. The soft ideas brought a small smile to Lance’s face. Maybe, Lance would do exactly what Slade suggested this time.

 

….

 

Lance woke to a cloudy sky and just the slightest hints of light streaming through. It wasn’t unusual for him to be awake at dawn, partly because he enjoyed watching the day break, and partly because he’d never been much for sleeping when there were things to do. He always had things to do.

Waking up to Keith sprawled on his stomach with his face half buried in a pillow and half in Lance’s shoulder was still new enough that Lance resisted his urge to perch on Coran’s roof to watch the sunrise and instead focused on watching Keith.

The man was unfairly pretty, all pale skin and dark messy hair. Lance turned slightly, propping himself up on his elbow and letting his head rest in his palm as he watched the shadows drift across Keith’s face. It was nice to know they liked him.

A strand of Keith’s hair shifted, falling across his face and tickling his nose. A heavy, clumsy hand came up to bat the offending hair away. Keith groaned, deep and rumbling and laced with irritation at having to greet the day. He rubbed his eyes, turning his head away from the light streaming the window and found himself blinking up at Lance.

He looked so soft and open and Keith wondered yet again if maybe he was dreaming. Lance was just too good to be true. “Mmm,” Keith offered as greeting, his clumsy hand slightly less heavy as it came into contact with Lance’s warm skin.

The corner of Lances mouth twitched. He’d seen Narti do the exact same thing several times. It was still adorable. “Good morning. You can go back to sleep, it’s very early.”

Keith sighed heavily, eyes closed as he tried to leach the heat from Lance’s body. He pressed his face closer and breathed Lance in. “N’ ‘m wake…”

Honestly, between both Keith and Narti being all adorable in the mornings, it’s no wonder Lance preferred waking up early. “Of course you are.” He lightly brushed his fingers over Keith’s messy hair, a barely there touch. Shifting a bit, he let his eyes trail over Keith’s sleepy expression. “You are still unfairly pretty. Especially when you are half asleep and trying to cuddle.”

“Too many words,” Keith grumbled. It was too early. He pulled Lance closer and tangled his fingers in thick brown hair, peppering kisses on whichever expanses of skin he landed on with his eyes still closed.

The small smile had grown into a proper one by this point, and it took no time at all for Lance to start returning the kisses. They were soft and almost playful, right until Lance ducked his head just right and Keith’s last little kiss landed right on his mouth. It would have taken a far better man than Lance to resist Keith’s kiss.

Keith’s breath caught as he felt Lance deepen the kiss. His spine melted further into the bed, but Lance’s steady pattern of kisses and touches had him finally rousing. Keith had to bite back a rather embarrassing noise when he attempted to reposition them only to bump his unnoticed erection into Lance’s hip.

Slowly, Lance pulled back just enough so that he could speak, his lips brushing Keith’s with each word. “I do love mornings….” He stole his own kiss, letting his hand drift over Keith’s shoulder, down his side and settling on his hip. The pressure was still as light as before, a ghost of a real touch. He let his hand slowly trail across Keith’s stomach.

Keith’s muscles rippled under the feather light sensation. He made a noise caught somewhere between a moan and a huff of irritation as he did his best to lift up into the touch. His lips had made their way across Lance’s jaw and dragged his teeth across the expanse of skin just below it in retribution.

Lance bit back his own groan. _Hells, fire and damnation._ Keith was likely going to be the cause of his death. Not the vast number of things that Lance thought might one day kill him. But Keith and his absolutely _sinful_ mouth. He twisted, his whole body undulating like a snake to land himself, quite happily settled on top of Keith, with his mouth close to Keith’s ear. “Do you know what the best part of an early morning is? It’s all the extra time you have…. If you’re interested?”

“Fuck. Yes. God, please,” Keith rambled, already attempting to yank the clothes off of Lance. “I want- need. God, you’re so…” Keith cut himself off with a bruising kiss to Lance’s lips.

The kiss was hot and slightly desperate. Lance honestly loved it. He had just managed to get his hand down the front of Keith’s pants when once again there was a loud banging on the door, that resulted in sharp curses from Keith and a resigned groan from Lance.

“Lance? Keith are you up? Coran has some messages he’d like delivered, and asked us to get him a couple of things. I’d like to do it now before our training.”

With a sigh, Lance rolled, dropping onto his back. It was starting to get slightly ridiculous. “Yes, Shiro, we are awake. We’ll be down shortly.” His eyes drifted to the side, watching Keith’s expression.

Keith stared at the ceiling praying for patience he’d never had. “If you distract him, I know at least three ways to knock him out,” Keith mumbled, his brow starting to crease as he sighed dejectedly, hoping he could will away the tent in his pants before he said damn it all and finished what they started. The image of Shiro walking in on him was enough to squash the idea though.

“As much as I’d like to agree, then he will be twice as persistent after he wakes back up. Then we will get even less time, I think…” Lance sighed, one final time, before rolling off the bed and reaching for his coat. “Better get it over with…”

Keith rolled over onto his stomach, his groan only barely muffled by the pillow. When he finally had to take a breath, it was followed by unintelligible noises. When no reply came, Keith looked at Lance expectantly.

One blink, then another. “If I lean over there to try and hear exactly what it was you mumbled, then you are going to latch on like Narti and Shiro will come barreling in here. So, just for fun, I’ll hazard a guess.” A slight grin crossed Lance’s face. “Why yes, Keith, I will be picking up Narti later. I’m glad you are excited to see her.” He was actually pretty sure that Keith had mumbled some kind of death threat toward Shiro, which Lance wanted exactly zero part of.

Keith stared at Lance for a moment or two, trying and failing to decide what it might mean that Lance had known exactly what he was thinking and mumbling. He partially buried his face into the pillow again, pulling the blankets back over him. “Good. Make sure she has her coat, it’s supposed to be chilly this evening.”

Busying himself with his coat, Lance was able to hide the slightly pleased smile at Keith’s worry. It was always nice to hear when someone fretted over her. “Come on, the sooner we go, the sooner I can bring her for the day.”

Keith grumbled as he rolled out of bed, slipping on his pants and heavier shirt before yanking on his boots, not even bothering to lace them, he shuffled out into the hallway, cursing Shiro and Coran.

 

….

 

Lance showed up at the little clearing, with a wide grin and Shroud trailing next to him. He ignored Shiro’s questioning look, and if anything his grin got wider. “So. Since we spent all day yesterday and a good part of today seeing exactly how many different ways I could land on my face in the dirt… I thought we could try something different for a bit.” He glanced down at Narti and then back at the team. “So, lets play a game…”

“What…. Does that mean,” Keith asked, his lips quirking as he watched Narti swing Lance’s hand around.

“Well.” Lance started slowly, still hesitant. He probably always would be about his… talent.. to a certain extent. “We’re going to be a team, so, while I need to learn to fight like you all do and not my own usual way… you all should probably learn what Shroud here knows. How to find me.” He curved his elbow, letting her swing on his arm, every inch an older brother. “She can always find me, even if I’m hiding. You all should.. Probably be able to do the same.”

Shiro tilted his head to the side. “That makes sense. We wouldn’t want to accidentally put you in harms way just because we didn’t know you were there.  Besides, team bonding is team bonding.” He shrugged good naturedly.

Keith laughed, scooping up Narti. “We’re gonna find him first, aren’t we?”

“That’s cheating!” Pidge announced. “If she can always find him then anyone on her team wins.” She glared at Keith. “No cheating.”

“Is… Shroud going to show us how?” Hunk wondered, a smile creeping onto his face when Shroud scowled at Pidge.

Lance outright laughed. “Not quite. I’m going to go do what I do, and you lot get… lets see.. Half an hour to find me. I’ll be close, but if you can’t, then you come back here and Shroud will show you where I am. Then I can explain how.” He crossed his arms behind his head. “Besides, she’s part of the team too, she has to teach you all things too.”

Narti grinned, looking pleased from her place in Keith’s arms.

Keith hugged her tight before setting her down. “Alright. Let’s get started.” He fixed Lance with a determined look.

Lance’s smile never faded, but he pointed at a tree, and Narti settled under it, sitting with her legs crossed, while she stared at everyone. “Good. Well then. Good luck.” He vanished a second later.

Pidge immediately took off in the direction opposite of the city, while Hunk started poking at any dark place he could find in the immediate area. Shiro closed his eyes, turning his head in an attempt to catch a sound that would tip him off to Lance’s whereabouts, but with multiple bodies suddenly moving around the area, he gave up with a huff and headed deeper into the trees. Keith watched Narti for a couple of seconds, expecting her to follow Lance with her eyes, however a shiny bug on the ground seemed to have her attention instead.

Keith looked around. For a group that made their living tracking, they were having a surprisingly hard time finding Lance. Keith definitely couldn’t see him or any sign of where he’d been, but damn if that was going to keep him from trying. He glanced up, smirked and climbed the nearest tree. Lance had an affinity for climbing them, and if nothing else, he figured it’d give him a better vantage point.

The steady stream of curses told everyone exactly where Pidge was, and given how often she was using them, she wasn’t having any luck. Hunk was quieter in his search, more practical as he checked any halfway decent hiding place that was also dark.

Keith watched as Shiro circled the same crop of trees for a third time. He rolled his eyes, swinging down to the lowest branch of the tree he’d climbed. He watched as the spots of light through the leaves shifted as he bounced the limbs. Maybe he could use the light to his advantage? As the moments passed, the dancing spots of light doing nothing to help his search, he joined Pidge in her cursing.

When Shiro finally called a halt to the search almost ten minutes later than planned, Pidge looked frustrated, her arms crossed, and a scowl on her face. “I hate all of you but Hunk, right now.”

“I also hate everyone but Hunk,” Keith grumped as he joined them in the same spot they’d watched Lance disappear from earlier. “And Shroud of course,” he said beaming as she ran up to greet him. “So, clever girl, where is Lance hiding?”

She latched onto his hand, and tugged twice, pointing in the direction Shiro had originally gone. Then she dropped his hand, moving just outside of the little clearing. She slipped through trees, and around rocks, before ducked behind a large rock. It was a fairly shadowy place, but she appeared seconds later with Lance’s hand firmly in hers, a proud grin on her face. They weren’t very far from the clearing at all.

“That’s my little Shroud.”

“How?” Shiro frowned. “I don’t understand how she knew…”

“It takes a lot of getting used to honestly. Shroud can find me anywhere.” Lance sounded just as proud as she looked. “I’m sure some if it is because I often take her with me when I disappear, but I think some of it is that Narti is a natural at tracking people.” He grinned, ruffling her hair. “But, I can tell you things to look for, tips on how to figure out where I am, but a lot of it will take time.”

“When we’re back home, you are showing me exactly how you do that.” Pidge stated. “It can be my birthday present.”

“Pidge, it isn’t a parlour trick,” Shiro chastised. “Should we go again?”

Lance opened his mouth but a tug on his coat drew his attention back to Narti. She looked confused, and Lance took a moment to think over everything that was said to try and figure out why. “Oh, right.” He picked her up, swinging her a little so she was settled on his back. “You wouldn’t know that word.” His head was turned so he could look at her. “A birthday is a party on the day of the year you were born. Like the one we had at Yule.”

She made a face, then shrugged, settling comfortably with her head on Lance’s shoulder.

He turned his attention back to Shiro. “Sure, we can go again. Then, you all can do your actual training while I show Shroud a few things.”

Keith scowled. The mood of the rest of the group shifted, but they became background noise to the ache in Keith’s chest. He probably should have guessed, having learned and seen first hand what their lives were like, but it didn’t mean it wasn’t still a punch to the gut. “Do you know when you were born, Shroud,” Keith asked gently.

Her face scrunched up and she shook her head after a minute, before she shrugged again.

“Alright… well, what’s your favorite day of the year?” Keith nudged her playfully.

She blinked, and looked at Lance, who smiled, before she shrugged again.

“I’m not really sure she has one.” Lance offered. He had no idea what Keith was doing, but he was sure it would eventually be good for Narti.

Keith widened his eyes, exaggeratedly clapping a hand to his head. “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe your birthday is tomorrow, Shroud! Which is perfect since I overheard Coran saying tomorrow is going to be an exceptionally beautiful day for this time of year, fitting for an exceptionally beautiful little girl.” He smiled at her. “What should we do to celebrate?”

While Lance and Shroud just stared at Keith, it was Hunk that jumped onto the idea. “Well, we will need a cake, of course. I can make that.”

“And presents.” Pidge stated, eyeing Keith with approval. “Birthdays have to have presents.”

“Absolutely,” Shiro added with a wide smile. “We can put training off until later in the day.” He gave Keith an approving nod.

Lance just kept staring, mouth slightly open. “What?”

Narti however, wiggled down from Lance’s back and wrapped both arms around one of Keith’s legs, peering up at him with a smile. She tugged at his pants a couple of times. Keith laughed as he pulled her up into his arms, letting her wrap her arms around his neck. “Next thing you know, you’ll be as tall as Lance. Hopefully not as much of a handful though,” he teased.

Pidge snickered, and nudged Hunk. Shiro shook his head, but there was a smile curling his lips. Lance however, didn’t rise to the bait this time. He stared for a long minute, surprise, shock and something else crossing his face before he forced it away. “Yeah, you’ll be tall and strong before you know it…” He smiled a bit at her bright happy face. “But, that means, Keith is going to have to keep an eye on you so I can go get you some presents.” He shoved his hands into his coat, but kept his smile firmly on Narti.

Keith blinked. “Oh, I thought maybe we’d go together…” He had no ulterior motives in suggesting a birthday for Narti, but he wanted to get her something as well, and he’d take any opportunity to spend time with Lance.

“Well then, you two are on presents.” Hunk decided. “Shiro can get the ingredients and I will teach Shroud how to make a cake while Pidge decorates.” He ignored the frown Pidge had. “Sound good, Shiro? We can stop a little early, right?”

“No problem, we were winding down anyway. Make me a list and I’ll get going,” he said smiling at Keith and Shroud. It was hard not to be reminded of the first year they’d celebrated Keith’s birthday.

Pidge glanced up, caught sight of Shroud’s wide smile and caved. “I’ll have the best decorations. What’s your favorite color?”

Narti blinked then tugged on her coat, before hiding her face in Keith’s neck.

“Purple it is.” Pidge crossed her arms. “Then let’s get to it.”

Lance blinked several times, then nodded. “R-right. Shroud, I need you to stay with Hunk for a while, alright. See, presents have to be a surprise.”

Keith set Narti down, patting her head. “If you’re really good, I bet Hunk will let you lick the batter spoon.” He made an exaggerated excited face until she smiled. “Ready when you are,” he said looking up to Lance.

Lance waited until Narti had hesitantly settled next to Hunk before he nodded. “Right. Be good, Shroud and please, _please_ do as Hunk says?”

Once he was satisfied, he shifted a couple of steps. “We’ll see you all later then.”

Keith waved over his shoulder as they set off. They walked in silence until Coran’s house disappeared behind them. Every few minutes Keith glanced at Lance, an unpleasant worry picking at him. “Is… everything alright?” Keith was trying to figure out what he had done to earn the silence.

Lance turned from where he had been studying the ground. “Hmm? Oh yes, I’m just thinking. Trying to decide what would be a good gift.” He shifted a bit, then drew his hands out of his pockets. “A birthday was a good idea. Thank you.”

A little breath of relief puffed out of Keith. “Oh. Don’t mention it… What are you thinking about getting her?”

“There are so many things, it’s hard to choose, to be honest.” Lance’s shoulders dropped a little. “I was thinking… about getting her a stuffed animal… because I know she’d love one, but then again… she needs a hairbrush, or better clothes… it’s a long list.” Lance shrugged. “What about you? Is your gift from the whole team, do you think?”

Keith hummed in thought, eyes turned to the sky. “I’ll probably get her a couple things… not sure what, but I’m sure something will jump out at us.” He smiled at Lance, bumping his fingers against the hand closest to him, hoping to catch it in his own.

It took three tries before Lance let their fingers tangle. Keith’s hand was warm, and helped Lance make his decision. “You know… I’m a little angry at myself for not thinking of it. For a minute or two… I actually wondered if keeping her with me was the best choice for her.” His head turned to look over the stalls.

Keith’s steps stuttered briefly, but he squeezed Lance’s hand tighter. “But… She clearly loves you. It’s like you hung the moon and stars, the way she looks at you, and I can’t say I don’t relate.”

Lance chuckled but it was a bit weak. “I suppose, but, I think you missed how she looks at you the same way.” He paused, studying a little stand full of toys. “You just seem to know exactly what to say to her. It’s nice to see that.”

Keith shrugged, his brow furrowed. “I guess I just see a lot of myself in her. She’s lucky to have you, just like I was lucky to have Shiro. But, if you think Shiro always had all the answers, you’re wrong. He had his help too.”

“Hmm…” Lance nodded, more to himself then looked over at Keith. “I can honestly say, I don’t think I am anything like Shiro. But… you turned out alright… for an asshole.” He squeezed the fingers in his lightly, before he let go to move toward the stand. “I think… I should get her this…”

Keith rolled his eyes, shoving at Lance’s shoulder as he joined him at the stall. He smiled, nodding. “Yeah, I think that’s perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since Holly is busy with family things today, I'm in charge of the chapter posting. We're running a bit behind with the actual writing with family and honestly mostly work eating up far more time than it should. I hate to make excuses for these longer waits between the chapters, but at the same time, I gotta toil away the work hours or the puppy cannot eat, and he's too cute for that. Thank you all for ever comment, kudo, tumblr repost or even just taking a minute to read it. It fuels us and keeps up going. 
> 
> We have a lot of surprises coming up, some good some bad, and some that are not written yet, and we both hope that you stick with us til the end. Thank you all again!!! 
> 
> <3 Lindsay


	21. Family Firsts Are a Piece of Cake

Lance draped his coat over a chair, a small smile still on his face. He’d found Narti still with Hunk, mouth smeared with frosting and apparently having such a good time that Lance didn’t have the heart to interrupt them. He’d even had plenty of time to wrap the gift he’d picked out for her. The paper was plain and simple, but he was sure she wouldn’t mind.  ****  
** **

“You know… she’s having a lot of fun right now. Thank you again.” ****  
** **

Keith tilted his head towards Lance, but didn’t remove his eyes from the lumpy mass of paper in front of him, one end of a piece of ribbon tangled around his foot. He growled out a curse. “Good… I’m glad,” he said absentmindedly, tucking in random edges and doubling over where he had torn some. “What is the point in wrapping, this is stupid,” he said mostly to himself. ****  
** **

Lance’s smile was soft and fond. “You know, mine looks worse right? She isn’t going to care, you don’t actually have to wrap it.”  ****  
** **

“No… just… help me with this damn ribbon?” Keith finally looked up, eyes pleading. ****  
** **

“You want me, who has wrapped one present my entire life, only twenty minutes ago… to help? Do you want to make it worse?” Still he moved closer looking at the tangled ribbon. “Well… um...maybe just… loop it around?” ****  
** **

Keith laughed. “Maybe…” He placed Lance’s hands around the gift. “Hold it, and-” He wound the ribbon around the gift several times until hardly any of the paper could be seen, finishing it off with a lopsided knot. “There?” ****  
** **

Lance stepped back, eyes roving over the gift. He was pretty sure someone would have to cut it open for her, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to break Keith’s pride at the gift. “You picked a good gift. She’ll love it.” Lance settled on the bed. “You’re too good to us.” ****  
** **

Keith shook his head, placing the present on the nightstand and joining Lance on the bed, stretching out his back and neck from hunching over the damn thing for so long. “I’m just giving you both what you deserve.” He let himself lean back onto the bed, propped on his elbows and watching Lance. “Just wait until it’s your birthday.” ****  
** **

“My what now?” Lance eyed Keith out of the corner of his eye. “No thanks. Narti’s is enough.” ****  
** **

Keith hummed, amused, and nudged Lance with the knee closest to him. “That’s tough.” He shrugged. “But it’s going to happen, even if I have to make up a date for you too.” ****  
** **

“I.. Um.. what?” Lance turned, and stared at Keith. “I’m a little too old to care about birthdays. That’s a nice idea, but, don’t worry about it.” ****  
** **

Keith trailed his fingers across Lance’s back. “Come on, we all still celebrate ours, even Shiro… You’re not changing my mind on this.” ****  
** **

Lance sighed. “Well then, I guess you better pick a date then.” He rolled his eyes a little, and nudged Keith with his arm. “But not soon. Narti’s day needs to be special.” ****  
** **

“Of course.” Keith’s brow creased as if offended that Lance would even suggest that he would mess with Narti’s day, but the look was broken by a sudden yawn. “Gonna spoil you,” Keith managed to get out, rubbing at one of his eyes. ****  
** **

Lance shook his head, smile curling at the edge of his mouth. He brushed his fingers across Keith’s forehead. “You don’t have to, but it’s sweet of you to want to.” ****  
** **

Keith caught Lance’s hand in his own and gently tugged him to lay down next to him. “I would pull the moon down from the sky if you wanted it.” ****  
** **

Lance flushed, eyes darting over Keith’s face then off toward the other side of the room. “T-that… That’s um.. A little much. The um.. Moon can stay…” ****  
** **

Keith laughed under his breath. “I could search the world over and find nothing too good or too much for you, Lance.” ****  
** **

Lance bit at his lip, but that did nothing to help keep his thoughts in his head where they belonged. “Sometimes I wonder if this is all one big figment of my imagination. There is no possible way someone like you can really exist.”  ****  
** **

He shook his head slightly, cheeks still red but he was smiling. “I mean… how else could we have possibly ended up here? After … well, after… It’s hard for me to even believe that I...” ****  
** **

BANG BANG ****  
** **

“Lance?” ****  
** **

Keith watched Lance turn to look at the door, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of the man in front of him. “Hang on, Shiro,” Keith called, irritated, then lowered his voice. “That you what, Lance?” ****  
** **

His expression flitted between embarrassed, frustrated and finally smoothed out into something that looked oddly resigned. “No… it’s alright.” He leaned forward and pecked Keith’s forehead before standing and moving toward the door.  ****  
** **

Keith sat up, not quite able to catch hold of Lance as he stepped away from the bed. He groaned as Lance opened the door and Shiro popped a smiling head into the room. ****  
** **

“Hey. I figured I could borrow you for a minute, Lance. You’ve spent so much time with Keith lately, I’m sure you’re dying for a break,” Shiro teased. “I know first hand what it’s like to share a room with him.” ****  
** **

Keith flopped back onto the bed. “I hate you so much right now.”  ****  
** **

Shiro smiled even wider. “Shall we?” ****  
** **

“Oh… um.. S-sure… I mean… I’m pretty used to sharing space… but, alright..” He fiddled with his hands slightly, wishing he had his coat back on, so he could just shove them in the pockets like usual. “At least… until Shroud is done.”  ****  
** **

Shiro led the way down the hall. “I was wondering if you could explain to me some of your powers and how you usually apply them. I think I have some ideas for ways to best integrate them into trainings and battle strategies. So…” Shiro rambled on as he steered them towards the main floor. ****  
** **

…. ****  
** **

Lance woke up to a foot wedged in his ribs and a tingly feeling in his arm. The foot was easily explained as Narti, halfway to hanging off the bed, which was honestly a bit weird, because she didn’t move that much in her sleep. The arm was entirely due to Keith sleeping directly on top of it. The worst part of the whole thing, was that Lance couldn’t even find it in himself to be mad.  ****  
** **

Not when today was officially Narti’s birthday for the first time, and it was entirely due to Keith. So as much as Lance wanted to scoop his sister up and spend the day making her as happy as possible, he let them sleep.  ****  
** **

As the sunrise warmed their little room, Keith stirred ever so slightly. Lance could feel the beginnings of sweat pricking along the expanse of Keith’s back currently keeping him prisoner. A quiet huff left Keith’s slack lips as he kicked a bare foot out from under the blankets. He mumbled something under his breath before absently patting Lance with the back of his hand. Once he seemed satisfied with whatever he was checking for, he settled back into place once more. ****  
** **

Lance couldn’t help but shake his head at Keith’s absent patting. Still he let his fingers absently drift over Narti’s ankle, and subtly moving it away from his ribs. He spent probably a good half an hour softly chatting with Slade before Narti kicked him again, and almost tipped off the bed.  ****  
** **

Lance jerked himself out from his place halfway under Keith to catch her, but by that point she was already awake, and scowling. Her expression smoothed out a bit at seeing him.  ****  
** **

“Good morning to you too, next time don’t try to jump out of bed in your sleep, alright?” Lance tried to keep his voice low, just in case Keith managed to sleep through all the movement. Narti helpfully, tugged on Keith’s arm to help him get up.  ****  
** **

“W-what!” Keith lurched towards where his arm was being pulled, struggling to transition to high alert. When he came face to face with Narti, he relaxed and flopped over with a sigh. He landed mostly on Lance. “Good morning birthday girl,” Keith mumbled, trailing off into a yawn. “Are you sure you don’t want to sleep longer for your birthday?” ****  
** **

Narti, as most children did, took keith landing on Lance as an excuse to do the same, but she went a step farther and wrapped her arms around Lance when she laid back down. She shook her head, but grinned, and mimed eating.  ****  
** **

“You really think you are having cake for breakfast?” ****  
** **

She nodded.  ****  
** **

Lance sighed. “ _ You _ have to convince Hunk and Shiro.” ****  
** **

She pouted at Keith.  ****  
** **

“Cake for breakfast, Lance,” Keith said, eyes barely open. When Lance gave him a look that Keith was sure meant something along the lines of ‘ _ is that really the responsible thing to do’,  _ Keith’s mouth fell into a lopsided grin. “You get to be boss when it’s your day.” He stretched, joints popping, and wormed his limbs around Lance. “But Narti says breakfast cake, so she’s gonna get breakfast cake.” ****  
** **

Lance actually rolled his eyes, but shrugged as well as he could. “Narti you can have cake, but, Keith gets to deal with the others for it.” He starts working on uncurling Narti first because she was easier. “Come on, my Shroud, let’s go get your cake. You too, Keith.” ****  
** **

Keith briefly thought of convincing Narti she wanted cake in bed, but he huffed and sat himself up. “Cake… cake… cake. Cake. Cake,” he started chanting as he snatched Narti up from the bed and hauled her to the door. “Lance, come on, you’re holding us up.” ****  
** **

“I am not. I am cleaning first because it is Narti’s day and usually I make her help. Besides, both of you were laying on me a minute ago. My arm is still numb.” He mock glared, then poked Narti in the cheek. “Go get your cake, I’ll bring your presents for after.” ****  
** **

Keith turned in the open door. “You can’t just leave it for now?” He shifted Narti higher up on his shoulder, effectively fixing Lance with a double pout. ****  
** **

Lance managed to resist for a full twenty seconds, which was to him, very impressive before his shoulders slumped and he sighed. “Alright, alright. Stop looking at me like that! Narti, go get your cake, I will get the gifts and bring them right down.”  ****  
** **

Keith chuckled, hoisting Narti through the door and into the hall. He could hear the others down the stairs, so he made no attempt to keep quiet as he tickled Narti and tossed her over his shoulder and raced down the stairs and into the main room. “Caaaaaakkkkeeeee!” ****  
** **

Pidge promptly screeched and ended up out of her chair and clinging to Hunk’s shoulders in seconds. Coran simply grinned. “Good morning!” ****  
** **

“Keith, don’t scare Pidge. You know she pulls my hair when she climbs.” Hunk begged.  ****  
** **

“Let us eat cake.” Keith continued to swing Narti around, enjoying the delighted look on her face. “Birthday girl wants breakfast cake.” ****  
** **

Hunk smiled, “I don’t see why not, it is her first birthday. But, she has to wait while I make sure it’s ready. I’ll bring it in.” He gave up on removing Pidge and just took her with him.  ****  
** **

“I have certainly never had cake in the morning before. What a lovely idea, Don’t you agree, Shiro? Lance? Also, good morning.”  ****  
** **

Lance just shrugged, presents tucked into his arms as he stepped off the stairs. “Keith says Shroud gets whatever she wants today, so breakfast cake.”  ****  
** **

Keith nodded once, going to stand by Lance. “I didn’t make the rules, Lance.” He leaned a little into him under the guise of straining under the weight of holding Narti up. ****  
** **

Lance turned just enough to let Keith lean into his side without crushing the paper on Narti’s gifts. He set the packages down, but looked shocked when Coran added a small one to the pile. “What…?” ****  
** **

“Of course, I got the little lady a gift.” Coran grinned at the wide eyed look Shroud had. “I picked it out for her myself.” ****  
** **

“That’s… very nice of you…” ****  
** **

“Alright, Little One,” Keith crowed, lifting Narti above his head. “You sit at the head of the table where a princess belongs. Make sure to order everyone around. I’m gonna get us cake.” ****  
** **

When Narti was settled in the chair, she took a long suspicious look at the cup of milk Coran set in front of her. While she didn’t shy away from them anymore, it was obvious she still only trusted Lance with her food.  ****  
** **

A little awkwardly, Lance settled in the chair between Narti and Shiro. Breakfast was always awkward for him, but he smiled wide when Narti grinned at him.  ****  
** **

“So then, after your cake you can open your presents, but you have to thank them yourself, Shroud.” ****  
** **

Keith came back into the room with a smile and a bouquet of silverware, Hunk on his heels with a delicately decorated cake and Pidge bringing up the rear with plates. Hunk made a show of sweeping his arms as he placed the cake in the center of the table. Keith let the silverware clatter to the table before plopping down on the other side of Narti, and smiled across at Lance before leaning closer to Narti. “I hope you’re hungry, Hunk baked a really nice cake.” ****  
** **

“Hunk! That is indeed a lovely cake, you simply must show me how you made it.” Coran leaned a bit closer studying the artistic swirls of frosting.  ****  
** **

Pidge shook her head but passed the stack of plates around. She bit back the sarcastic comment that was on the tip of her tongue. She had promised Hunk she would be as pleasant as possible during the party. Besides, even if she refused to admit it aloud, it was kind of cute to see both Lance and Shroud staring at the cake in disbelief.  ****  
** **

“I had no idea you were so talented Hunk.” Lance offered quietly.  ****  
** **

Narti tugged on his sleeve and pointed at first Hunk then herself.  ****  
** **

“Of course, you helped too.” ****  
** **

“You did a really great job,” Shiro said smiling at Narti. “I can’t wait to try it.” ****  
** **

“Narti first,” Keith announced as plates were passed around.  ****  
** **

“Not until after we sing.” Keith glared at Shiro. “It’s tradition, Keith,” he said smugly. ****  
** **

“You’re lucky it’s for Narti,” Keith grumbled. ****  
** **

“Sing? Why would you sing?” Lance asked then stilled at the shocked look Hunk had as he set Narti’s plate in front of her.  ****  
** **

Hunk cleared his throat. “It’s part of the party… Your… um friends and family get together and sing for you… to uh.. Help insure your day is happy and good.”  ****  
** **

Narti wrinkled her nose almost in unison with Lance, then mimicked his shrug.    


“If you say so.” ****  
** **

Keith would have laughed at the pair they made, if not for his growing irritation. He bit at his cheek but smiled when he realized Narti was looking at him. “It’s an easy song, Shiro can teach you.” ****  
** **

“Are you sure you don’t want to teach them, Keith?” Shiro shot him a shit eating grin. ****  
** **

Keith shot back a pointed look. “No, by all means, go ahead.” ****  
** **

“Keith can’t-“ ****  
** **

“Shiro!” ****  
** **

“Oh my God!” Pidge announced, smacking Keith on the arm and throwing a fork at Shiro. “Shut up both of you. Coran, please go teach Lance the song, so Narti can eat her cake and open her presents. The boys are in time out.” She glared for good measure before sitting in her seat.  ****  
** **

For some reason Pidge’s little lecture made Lance laugh, and his smile stayed present while Coran explained the words of the song. It wasn’t a long song and honestly Lance still wasn’t sure what the point of it was, but he’d do anything for Narti, even sing some ridiculous song.  ****  
** **

“Thanks Coran. Well then, your first birthday song Shroud! Then you get the first bite of cake too.” He ruffled her hair a bit.  ****  
** **

Keith watched as everyone settled in. He could feel Shiro’s eyes on him, the bastard, but he pointedly ignored the knowing smirk. In a last ditch effort he cleared his throat and spoke up over the excitement. “Make sure you sing really loud.” ****  
** **

Shiro laughed. “Here we go-“ ****  
** **

The group launched into the silly little song. Keith did his best to mouth the words, but a sharp elbow from Pidge forced him to give it up. He sang quietly along, hoping Lance couldn’t hear his raspy and barely on key notes. ****  
** **

When the little song ended, Narti had wide eyes. They moved from person to person before a big grin crossed her face and she ducked her head a bit.  ****  
** **

Lance’s smile was softer and fond. “Go ahead and try your cake now, little Shroud.” This time when he addressed everyone else, his voice was still soft. “Thank you…” ****  
** **

Keith nodded his head, eyes focused on the table, a chorus of  _ you’re welcome  _ building up around him. Shiro had hoped to embarrass him, but he wouldn’t let that put a damper on Narti’s party. He watched in anticipation along with everyone else as Narti raised the first bite to her mouth. ****  
** **

Her bite was small, the opposite of a normal child, but her reaction more than made up for it. Her eyes crinkled a bit, obviously pleased. Then she took held her fork out to Lance, waving it carefully, wanting to share, mouth turned up in a smile.  ****  
** **

“That piece is all yours. I have mine, see?” He pointedly took a bite of his own cake so she would focus on hers and froze. It was nothing like a pastry, softer but the frosting wasn’t too sweet. For a long minute he looked at the cake like it had offended him, before he muttered a soft “Wow…” and took another bite. ****  
** **

Coran looked extremely pleased, while Pidge nudged Hunk, as Narti and Lance enjoyed the cake unaware of the stares from around the table. “Nice job, Hunk.”  ****  
** **

Keith’s piece sat forgotten for several moments as he watched Lance. Some hardly concealed snickers from Pidge had him blushing and hurrying to join the others in eating. Hunk really had outdone himself with this one and Keith was glad for the distraction. “S’really good, Hunk.” ****  
** **

Keith chanced a glance up. Lance was still completely enveloped in his first cake experience, only coming up to watch as Narti did the same. Keith’s chest grew tight. He was so lucky to get to experience these new moments with the two of them and he hoped he could spend the rest of his life watching Lance and Narti try things with childlike wonder, long after they’d both grown older. He wished he had beat Shiro to his seat, he wanted to be closer to Lance, to lean in and ask what he thought. To hold his hand under the table. ****  
** **

Keith’s eyes darted to the side. He scooped up a large bite of cake and slowly inched his foot forward, keeping an eye on the others at the table. Soon enough his toes bumped into Lance under the table, and Keith allowed himself a moment to look at Lance to catch his reaction. ****  
** **

Lance had been rolling a bit of the cake in his mouth trying to decide if he liked the frosting or the cake more when he thought he felt something brush his shin. He paused, eyes darting from Narti, who somehow had frosting on her nose, to Shiro who was arguing with Pidge about why cake was not a proper breakfast to Keith, who was watching him with an odd look in his eyes.  ****  
** **

A light flush crossed his face, before he ducked his head exactly like Narti had minutes before, and carefully nudged Keith back, a small smile on his face.  ****  
** **

Keith smiled around his mouthful, letting the side of his foot brush up and down Lance’s ankle. He tried to pretend to be listening to what Pidge and Shiro were talking about, but it fell on deaf ears as he stole glances at Lance. Lance was by no means delicate, but there was something about the slim graceful curve of his legs that made Keith feel the need to treat them gently, like a precious thing. ****  
** **

He was pretty sure he’d never done anything so innocent in his entire life, but sitting there, watching Narti happily eat her cake, with Keith gently letting his foot catch Lance’s ankle, it seemed almost too sweet for someone like Lance. It made him want to blurt out all the thoughts he’d been having the last couple of days. So he let the sounds of the team wash over him, and let himself focus on the soft touch, Narti’s shy smile and the odd warm feeling he was slowly getting used to.  ****  
** **

By the time he’d finished his cake, he had managed to clean Narti’s face, twice, and had hooked his own foot behind Keith’s knee when Narti decided she was finished waiting, and jumped from her chair right onto Lance. He managed to keep his balance in the chair, but it involved, grabbing Shiro’s arm, catching Narti and banging his knee on the underside of the table.  ****  
** **

“Ow…” He bit back a curse, and mock glared at Narti, who was staring up at him, arms curled around his shoulders, and that damned pout on her face. Lance sighed, then turned her face toward Shiro. If he had to suffer a full force Narti pout so did he.  ****  
** **

“It seems she is ready for presents. What do you think, Shiro?” Honestly, Lance was kind of looking forward to seeing how quick Shiro would agree.   ****  
** **

For a moment Shiro looked like a cornered animal, caught in panic. He hadn’t had much interaction with kids since Keith had been little, and Keith had never been one to pout, far to determined to prove he was tough and could do anything Shiro could. Now he was being hit by the brunt of it, he couldn’t help but cave immediately. “I think it’s present time then.” ****  
** **

Pidge’s mouth dropped open, fork still halfway to her mouth. Hunk blinked at Shiro several times, confused, because Shiro was a pretty big stickler for team meals, insisting on waiting until everyone had finished before doing something else. Lance just nodded, unsurprised and stood, putting Narti down and shooing her in the direction of Coran. ****  
** **

The older man beamed at the honor of giving the first gift, and he presented it with a grand flourish. “Here you are, my dear. I hope that you will like it.”  ****  
** **

Narti stared at the shiny paper for a moment before looking at Coran, then Lance, then back to Coran. She dropped onto the floor, and started to carefully unwrap the present. She took her time, not wanting to ruin the pretty paper or to mush the ribbon, but when she was finally done she jumped up and darted back to Lance, practically shoving the little purple mittens into his face.  ****  
** **

It took a minute for Lance to move them back far enough to see what they were before his head ducked down a bit. “Wow, those are really nice, Shroud. Go ahead and put them on, I bet Coran would like that.”  ****  
** **

Narti pulled on the gloves and held her hands up for the group to see, a huge smile on her face. Keith couldn’t help the fond laugh. He was glad Narti was going to be able to have the things she deserved. “Who next, little one?” ****  
** **

Narti considered the little pile of gifts left and pointed at the only nicely wrapped one of the three. Shiro beamed and handed his gift to her. She unwrapped the gift just as carefully as Coran’s, gently setting the paper and string to the side. A little nondescript box was pulled free of the wrapping and Narti looked up at Shiro, confused. “Take the lid off,” he urged. ****  
** **

She pulled the lid free and inside sat a simple silver locket. The edges and chain were slightly tarnished, but it was still in relatively good condition. Shiro ducked his head sheepishly. “Allura helped me pick it out, it opens, and you can put little things inside of it, like pictures or bits of paper or beads…” ****  
** **

Lance pointedly turned to face the wall, because he simply could not watch the awe on Narti’s face as her fingers trailed all over the locket. Honestly, Lance had been touched when Shiro had explained to him last night, that he intended to give Shroud a gift as well. Narti looked from Lance to Shiro several times, then abruptly held out her arm to Shiro and turned around. Lance did not have the restraint to hide his smile at the large show of trust. ****  
** **

Once the locket was clasped around her neck, Narti proudly darted from chair to chair to show it off, even going so far as to bat at Pidge’s hands when she tried to look at it closer. Then she picked up a present that was completely covered in ribbon and looked confused.  ****  
** **

“Ah… Keith. You may need to help her with this one.” Hunk offered, amused. ****  
** **

Keith couldn’t even find it in him to be offended and laughed, motioning for Narti to bring the gift over. Narti offered up the wrapping monstrosity and Keith pulled her up into his lap. “You don’t have to be so careful with the paper,” he teased, pulling his knife free. “Most kids just shred right through it… besides, I’m really shit at wrapping.” He slid the knife under several layers of ribbon and cut through, letting the tatters fall to the floor and handed the rest over to Narti. ****  
** **

Ignoring Keith’s insistence on not being careful, she salvaged any bits of paper undamaged by Keith, and revealed a brand new, brightly colored book, the cover adorned with large ferocious beasts and the bold lettering stating  _ Dinosaur Dictionary _ . The material was probably a little over Narti’s head right now, but the detailed drawings of the dinosaurs and fossils would hopefully keep her happy until she was a little older. ****  
** **

Narti stared at the book like it was made of pure gold. Narti’s little hands shook a bit as she carefully, far more so than any other six year old would, turned the book over in her hands, studying the cover carefully. She looked up at Keith, wide eyed, before she pointed at herself, and then held up the book.  ****  
** **

Lance cleared his throat, and his voice was quiet. “He gave it to you, Shroud… that makes it your book now.” He shifted a couple of steps, ignoring Pidge and Hunk’s watching eyes.  ****  
** **

Narti hugged the book to herself then hugged Keith just as hard.  ****  
** **

“Happy birthday, Narti,” Keith whispered between them. “You’ll have to tell me and Lance all about the new dinosaurs in there, I noticed a bunch I’ve never heard of before.” He smiled, leaning back to look at her and then finally at Lance. “Your turn.” ****  
** **

He forced a smile, still shocked at the gift and the frankly adorable scene the two of them made. “Well, I have to say, I can’t do better than a book, but I hope you like it anyway.” He dropped his gift into her lap, taking the bits of paper out of her hands carefully. “You open this, and I’ll keep your paper safe.”  ****  
** **

Narti wiggled a bit, keeping her book close as she attempted to unwrap Lance’s gift with just one hand. It took several minutes, before she frowned up at Keith. ****  
** **

“Want me to hold it for you,” Keith offered with a laugh. ****  
** **

Narti immediately gripped her book with both hands and shook her head several times. Her head was still shaking when Lance sighed, sharing a glance with Shiro. “She wants you to help her open the present. I don’t think anything will make her put the book down.”  ****  
** **

Keith smiled proudly, and wrapped his arms around Narti to get ahold of the present in her lap. He pulled free the ribbon, only moderately miffed that Lance had done a better job wrapping his gift than Keith had. Taking one look at Narti, he knew he couldn’t just rip into the paper, so he showed it the same respect she had, gently pulling bits loose until a soft plush thing rolled out. He held it up, turning it until a fluffy stuffed cat was staring back at them. Narti’s mouth opened silently, and Keith couldn’t help but snuggle the toy into cheek and neck, making a horrible attempt at mewing noises. ****  
** **

Pidge opened her mouth to tease Keith, but paused, looking at Narti’s face before she closed her mouth again and took a step closer. “That’s a nice kitty, Shroud. Do you like cats?” ****  
** **

Narti kept staring, but her head moved in a slow nod, before she caught the little gray thing and hugged it tightly, bolting off Keith’s lap and into Lance’s arms.  ****  
** **

Even with the corner of a book digging into his ribs, and bits of paper in his hands, Lance managed to pull Narti up enough so that she was settled in his arms, her face hidden from view. “Shh.. It’s alright, this is what birthdays are about. Good girls get nice gifts from their… families…” ****  
** **

Shiro patted Lance on the shoulder, a knowing look in his eyes. “Happy birthday, Shroud.” ****  
** **

“Yeah, happy birthday,” Keith joined in as the rest of the room wished Narti another happy birthday. “Now what’s your kitty’s name going to be?” ****  
** **

Slowly, damp eyes peered at Keith, before she shrugged and tucked her face back into Lance’s neck.  ****  
** **

“It’s alright, you have lots of time to figure it out.” He glanced from face to face, then offered a shrug of his own. “We’ll… be back in a bit.” He passed the bits of papers to Coran and moved out of the room.  ****  
** **

“I… think that went well?” Hunk offered, confused. “I mean, she enjoyed it, right?” ****  
** **

“I think so,” Shiro said, looking to Keith where he stood eyes still stuck to where Lance and Narti had disappeared up the stairs. ****  
** **

“I hope so,” Keith replied. ****  
** **

Pidge huffed. “Well, go on.” When Keith just stared at her, she scowled at him. “Go up there. We all know you want to, and Lance did just basically say good girls get families so go be her family.” She shoved Keith toward the stairs, hard.  ****  
** **

Keith blushed a bit, but allowed pidge to send him stumbling up the stairs without a word back. He rounded the corner and came to their shared room. He knocked gently on the door. “Lance?... Can I come in?” ****  
** **

After a moment, the door swung open. Lance was sitting on the bed, both arms wrapped around Narti, who was clutching the book and cat. “Hey, sorry. She just needed a bit of time away from it all.”  ****  
** **

Keith stepped in, closing the door behind him. “I understand,” he chuckled, plopping down on the bed. “They can be a little much sometimes.” He waited a moment, just watching the two of them holding each other. Keith kept his eyes on Lance as he leaned against him, bringing his arm to wrap around Narti as well. “We’re gonna have to get Narti a little pack of her own to keep all her stuff in.” ****  
** **

Lance nodded, “That’s a good idea. You need somewhere to put your new things. But first, we should name your kitty, yes?”  ****  
** **

Narti nodded, and leaned on Keith’s arm, tugging his sleeve shyly.  ****  
** **

“Let’s see…” Lance shifted, moving Narti into Keith’s lap and standing up, making a show of rattling off every single name that he could possibly think of, he also pointedly asked Keith for names, even asked Slade, pausing every so often to poke Narti to earn a smile.  ****  
** **

Keith laughed along, their suggestions getting sillier and sillier. In the end, Keith began listing the handful of words he knew in other languages until Narti’s eyes lit up and she bounced up and down. “Yeah?” Keith tickled her. “It’s fitting, means tough, just like you. Kova it is then.”  ****  
** **

“Narti and Kova, a dangerous team.” Lance grinned, waving one hand around as he talked. “I thought we were tough Keith, I mean, great partners and all, but I’m not going against those two. Not even with you.” He crouched down, and poked the tip of Narti’s nose. “So I have an idea, let’s go down, thank everyone for the nice party, let them meet Kova, then we can all come back up here and sleep for a bit. You got Keith up very early, Narti.”  ****  
** **

Narti smushed Kova’s nose into Keith’s cheek as an apology. ****  
** **

“It’s hard not to forgive kisses,” Keith laughed. “Alright, come on, let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyyyy we're back!
> 
> It's been at least a hundred years since the last chapter it feels like lol thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with us and left so many kind comments, you guys mean so much to us, seriously. I hope y'all enjoy the fluff here, we really couldn't help ourselves with the birthday stuff lol
> 
> <3Holly


	22. Hard, Fast and Brutal

Lance stood in the clearing. The grass had been beaten down to patches of dirt in some places, he was fairly sure his body had done most of the work. He watched as the stars disappeared overhead as wisps of cloud blew in. A wide grin worked its way across his face as he felt the shadows around him grew a little darker.  _ Here they come. _   
  
Keith traipsed through the woods, hardly a sound left in his wake. Shiro had coordinated their first real training at night and had asked Lance to not hold back. They wanted to see what he could really do when he was in his element, and all Lance had asked in return was to be given a few minutes alone to focus and for them to not ambush him all at once. That didn’t mean Keith was going to make it easy on him, he knew how to sneak and catch someone by surprise, and he was going to do just that.   
  
He was approaching the clearing, Shiro a good five minutes behind him and Pidge and Hunk staggered the same. It was quiet out here save the insects humming in the trees. Keith ducked behind a bush as he reached the tree line. He could see Lance hunched slightly in the shadow of a large tree not far from where he was. Keith couldn’t help the smile as he slipped into the clearing and made a quick, silent line straight for Lance.   
  
With a lurch, Keith wrapped his arms around Lance in an attempt to both startle and incapacitate him. As his hands met the fabric of Lance’s coat, it crumpled in his arms, and a harsh pain right behind his ankles had him thudding onto his back as the air rushed out of his lungs, only barely catching Lance mimicking his signature move. Lance straightened and before Keith could form words, a strong presence had pulled him from the ground and pushed him against the nearby tree, effectively pinning his arms. Lance pressed a gentle hand on his chest before smiling, holding a finger to his lips as he winked a glowing blue eye and vanished.   
  
Keith flushed violently as he tested his unseen bonds. He could feel the sweat prickling on the back of his neck and he swallowed audibly.   
  
He caught movement out of the corner of his eye and when moonlight glanced back at him, he realized Shiro had arrived. Keith watched as Shiro waltzed into the clearing. He was just as quiet as Keith had been, hell he’d been the one to teach Keith how to be stealthy, but the easy cocksure attitude was plain in his body language. It wasn’t until Lance had blinked back into view in the middle of the clearing that Shiro took on a more appropriate stance. Dust billowed at Shiro’s feet as he sprinted towards Lance. If Keith had been able to speak, he would have screamed at Lance to move, to brace for impact, to do  _ something _ . But Lance stood stock still as Shiro raced towards him like a freight train.

A surprised grunt and heavy thud accompanied Shiro arcing off the ground and over Lance, the full momentum of his running hurdling him through the air and nearly slamming him into the ground. Keith watched Shiro’s eyes widen in unsettled confusion as he hung inches off the ground, something neither of them could possibly see gripping his flesh arm just shy of painfully tight. 

Shiro gaped looking between his arm and Lance and struggling to find words just as Pidge and Hunk stumbled into the clearing none too quietly. Lance was suddenly beside them, and though surprised, Hunk and Pidge gave a valiant effort in self defense. In motions more fluid than Keith had ever seen Lance move before, he dodged a couple of attempted blows as he knocked Pidge into Hunk’s belly before reappearing several feet away. In seconds, the rope Keith knew Lance kept on him pretty much at all times was snaking its way tightly around them until they were tipping over cocooned in rope.

Lance paused, then grinned. “That was better, yes?” 

“What?” Pidge sputtered. “Why in the name of all the hells didn’t you do that yesterday?!”

He shrugged, waving a hand at first Shiro and then Keith, letting them both go, before working on the knot in the rope with his fingers. “Well, because you were all teaching me how to fight alone. I wasn’t alone this time.” He paused, glancing to the side, where the ground was littered with dark shapes. “Thanks guys, Slade. Couldn’t have done it without you.” 

It took a couple of slow blinks for Keith to catch up to the present. His brow furrowed and he strode towards Lance, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him up and away from Hunk and Pidge. “Coran’s house. Now,” he growled, a snarl pulling his lips.

Lance’s eyes grew wide at the growl and he stared for just a moment before he disappeared, taking Keith, with him. 

Pidge groaned, and even Hunk sighed. “Shiro. Please get us out.”

….

Lance was currently wondering just what he had done to make Keith so angry, but he took them to Coran’s home, as asked, before awkwardly taking a step back and shoving his hands in his coat. “Um…”

Keith took a breath, reeling slightly from the brief journey. When his eyes landed on Lance, he stomped toward him, every muscle pulled tight as he shoved Lance backwards until he collided with the wall. Keith was on him before Lance could even form words, he pressed a bruising kiss to his lips before biting and licking his way down his neck, hands shoving under his shirt. “God- that was- so- god-” Keith panted, fingers pushing Lance’s shirt past his ribs. He bucked his hips against Lance, and Lance was shocked to feel just how hard he already was.

It took Lance a couple of minutes to figure out that Keith wasn’t actually angry with him, no.. Keith made his feelings  _ quite  _ clear the moment he started rocking into Lance. He was more confused than anything, but he was not an idiot and Keith was extremely attractive even when he looked seconds away from stabbing someone in the neck. “K-keith…” 

Well, he was damned either way, may as well jump right in head first. So Lance caught Keith’s face, and drew him close. “So… since I’ve figured out, you aren’t mad…. I guess you approve then…?” He didn’t give Keith any time to answer, just kissed him. 

Keith couldn’t get the image of a brutal and calculating Lance, fighting dirty out of his mind, and he growled again, getting even closer to Lance if it was possible. “So strong- nn and fast- ‘nd the way you just flung Shiro-” Keith bit hard into the juncture of Lance’s neck, trying desperately to rid him of his shirt despite the fact it was trapped under his coat.

“Mmmm…” It was official, Lance was a weak  _ weak  _ man. He was absolutely going to stick with his current style of fighting if this was the result. “A-Actually… I had…  _ your  _ shadow throw him…. It laughed after…” He groaned, and started trying to wiggle out of his coat, but one of his arms was stuck under Keith’s. 

“Fuuuuccck,” Keith moaned. He kissed Lance’s lips like it was his dying wish, sliding his tongue past his lips to tangle with Lance’s. “God- fuck- need you. Now.”

Given that being an underhanded little shit had gotten him to this point, pressed against the wall of Coran’s house, with hands roaming his skin under his shirt, it only made sense for Lance to continue being an underhanded little shit. It’s hard to argue with results after all…

So Lance, shifted his fingers a couple of times, drawing the shadows a little closer, making it just a bit harder to see them in their little spot, before his hands settled on Keith’s waist, and pulled him close, moving his head away and pressing it right against Keith’s ear. 

“Do you think, Shiro would be mad to know, his own shadow held him down?” Lance practically purred the words into Keith’s ear. “Because I will do it again, if you want me to. Or…. I could hold  _ you  _ down…” 

Keith shivered, an unmistakable whine working it’s way out of his throat. His knees and brain had quickly become jelly, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to form a coherent thought, but he nodded with fervor. His fingers dug into the flesh of Lance’s arm as he tangled their legs even further together.

“Do you like that idea, Keith?” Lance lowered his voice a little more, one of his hands curling around a hip and the other slowly inching to trail all along Keith’s ass. “Do you like the idea of us that way? Me keeping you as close as I want, doing whatever I’d like?” He let his mouth drift a little, biting on the shell of the Keith’s ear before he was back to whispering. 

“Or would you rather it was the other way around? If I asked them to keep me still for you? To know that until you said so, I would be right there, no matter what? Or maybe, you would rather that they kept me like this? So close that we’re sharing the same air? So close that no one could separate us?”

“Please,” Keith croaked, overwhelmed, unsure which of the situations he was asking for, he just knew he needed Lance closer. That they needed less clothing. “Please.”

Lance couldn’t stop the grin that crossed his face and he took a breath to continue but Slade hissed in his ears, and he pulled back, letting his mouth trail across Keith’s for just a moment. “Keith, the team is almost here. Why don’t you let them know we’re alright, and meet me upstairs, yes? I promise, if you do, I’ll have a surprise for you.” Lance kissed him, briefly, before vanishing from sight. 

Keith blinked stupidly at the space where Lance had been. His body told him to bolt up the stairs right this instant, but the latch of the front door creaking caught his attention. Keith shook his head, trying to clear it and perhaps think with it and not his dick for a moment. Shiro and the others came in, grumbling amongst themselves, only stopping when they spotted Keith. At least he had had the wherewithal to position himself so as to hide his raging hardon. Shiro opened his mouth to ask, but Keith managed to blurt out first. “Training really took it out of Lance, he already went to bed. It’s uh, pretty late, and phew, ‘m so tired, alright goodnight!” 

Keith sprinted up the stairs, his heart racing as he practically fell into the room, closing the door behind him. His heart skipped a beat when he turned around.

Lance was stretched out on the bed, one leg tangled in a blanket, while one of his hands was absently making shadow shapes on the wall. He was relaxed, at least for Lance, and he had certainly lived up to his promise of having a surprise for Keith. Because Lance’s clothes were in a neat pile near his pack, and the only thing blocking Keith’s view was the blanket coiled around his leg. 

Keith’s jaw dropped, feet stuck to their spot on the floor as his eyes roved over the long planes of Lance’s beautiful body. His mouth moved in a silent admission of the overwhelming emotions he wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to adequately articulate. He closed his eyes and took a steadying breath and managed to move towards the bed.

Lance looked up from his shapes and a slow smile crossed his face. “Hello, handsome. Care to join me?” He hid his nerves under another smile. He kind of wished they hadn’t been interrupted before, because he’d been doing a pretty decent job of getting Keith hot and extremely interested and he wasn’t exactly sure how to start that back up. 

Keith climbed onto the bed, nearly tripping out of one of his shoes. He didn’t even bother to make sure the other one made it off, before he was crawling over Lance and covering every available inch of skin with kisses. He was vaguely aware of Lance trying to pull his shirt over his head, and Keith ducked his head through the collar but didn’t help more than that, leaving his shirt still mostly tangled on his arm. 

Keith was distracting regularly, Lance had accepted this, but Keith with hooded eyes and all those muscles and skin on display was more than a mere distraction. A temptation from the underworld made flesh in Lance’s hands. Hands that could not stop, brushing along a collarbone, slowly circling a nipple, following the lines of his stomach, and rubbing against a hipbone. “So tell me Keith... Did you decide what you wanted yet?”

Keith was finding it harder and harder to remember what the question was. He nodded, continuing to trail his lips from point to point. “All of it… all of you.” He pressed his lips to Lance’s, his free arm working to free himself of his pants. 

Lance let his left eyebrow raise up, eyes bright as another smile flashed across his face. “All of me, hmm? Well… then, I should make sure that you get what you want, shouldn’t I? After all… you were so amazing this morning….” He kept one hand on the curve of Keith’s hip while his other hand helped make quick work out of Keith’s laces. “So… if I asked to use that… oh so helpful oil on you this time…?”

Keith let his head drop to Lance’s shoulder while he tried to control his breathing. He nodded again and blindly felt around under the bed, placing the vial into Lance’s hand while his face heated up. He let Lance help strip him of his pants, finally letting his boot fall to the floor, and failed to contain the moan when Lance rolled them over, Keith’s back pressed into the pillows as he looked in Lance’s soft eyes.

Lance couldn’t help but be slightly distracted by the play of light and shadows on Keith’s leg, and he wiggled himself down a bit, so that he could press a kiss to his inner thigh. He teased the soft skin there with his teeth as he worked the vial open, letting his fingers get nice and slick. “Do you know what you look like, right now? You’re gorgeous and I’m going to keep my promise of a proper surprise.” He flicked his eyes up to meet Keith’s before he shifted again and dropped a kiss to the tip of Keith’s erection before slowly letting his mouth wrap around it. 

Keith’s head snapped back as his entire body tensed. He bit down on his bottom lip to keep from shouting, looking down at Lance wild eyed. Twitching fingers combed through Lance’s hair and Keith would have felt embarrassed if he wasn’t so focused on keeping his composure. “La-ance, please.”

Lance slowly raised his head, ending with a small kitten like lick. “Hmm?” When Keith’s hips rose slightly, he took complete advantage to let his hand move back a bit and start slowly rubbing all around Keith’s rim before ducking his head back down again. With almost as much care as Keith had, Lance let his finger slowly circle around and around before he swallowed Keith again as he pushed a bit more with his finger. 

Keith writhed under Lance’s attention, bucking his hips and scrabbling to hold onto something. He ached for more, nearly crying out when Lance added a second finger. He pleaded breathlessly; half formed praises choked out between sighs. He couldn’t quite decide if he needed Lance to hurry the hell up or if he wanted him to slow down.

“Hey, Keith,” Shiro called as the door to the room creaked open. “Heard you’re still up, I need-”

Keith’s head whipped to the side, his thighs squeezing shut like a vice as his horrified eyes met Lance’s. Lance made some sound and for a blink they stared at each other before Lance vanished, just as the door swung open fully. 

Shiro walked in, freezing part way through the door, eyes unfortunately trained on Keith’s naked form as he fought to cover himself with anything available, shirt still wrapped around one arm. Eyes the size of the moon met each other as Keith looked for any sort of reasonable explanation for why he was hard as a rock, completely naked in a bed he shared with another team member, asshole twitching at the loss of fingers. What he managed to get out was, “uhhhhh……”

Shiro jerked into action, quickly turning away from Keith, the back of his neck just as red as Keith knew his face and chest had to be. He was going to kill Shiro. And Lance. Probably in that order. He couldn’t believe Lance would just wink out of existence on him like that. More importantly, he couldn’t believe he didn’t take Keith with him. 

“Sorry…” Shiro cleared his throat. “We can, uh.. Talk about it in the morning. Goodnight, Keith!”

And with that Shiro bolted back out into the hallway, the door clicking closed behind him. Keith collapsed back onto the bed, flinging an arm across his face and stewing in his embarrassment.

It took a solid ten additional minutes before Lance reappeared in the room, face red and shivering. He couldn’t even look at Keith, as he practically dove for his pile of clothes. 

Keith didn’t even bother removing the arm from his face as he huffed. “How kind of you to join me. Must be nice to just pop out of uncomfortable situations. Maybe next time consider taking your partner with you, instead of just leaving them to try and hide their boner from their brother while looking like some kind of pervert touching themselves in someone else’s bed.”

“Right.” Lance’s voice was raspy and flat. “Because it would be so much better to take him along and then loose him there because I didn’t have a good hold on him, and maybe I didn’t want to spend eternity looking for him there.” He shoved his shirt over his head, and shook his head. 

“You could have just stayed. I know you don’t exactly love me, but I didn’t realize you didn’t even want to be seen with me,” Keith said flatly, still hiding under his arm.

Lance froze, and he was absolutely still for several minutes before he slowly straightened up and just as slowly turned around. “So…” His words were soft, barely audible in the room. “Because, I did not want the person who can, quite easily, mind you, kick me off from this team, from this family of yours, to see me doing something I am absolutely sure he would not approve of, especially with his little brother. That means that I not only have no feelings of any kind for you, that, I would treat you like so many others have treated me before?” 

Lance shook his head. “Well, at least I know now. Don’t worry…” His tone grew cool. “I’ll go explain to Shiro that it was entirely my fault and that you had absolutely nothing to do with it. Sound good?” He snatched up his coat and turned for the door. 

Keith sat straight up, arm falling to his side. “Wait! That’s not- ugh,” Keith groaned, head flopping forward into his hands as the frustration ate away at his nerves. “I just- I don’t need you to tell me you love me, but-” Keith took a deep breath. “I thought we were… something, and that I didn’t have to worry about you leaving me, or being ashamed to be seen with me. If this is just physical for you, that’s fine, but I need to know, because I really-” Keith shook his head. This had all been too good to be true and he’d known it from the start. He wasn’t the kind of guy people stuck around for.

“I told you before… that I didn’t know how to love you like you deserved.” Lance stated quietly, hand curled around the doorknob. “I also thought that we were something. That you understood how hard I was trying, and that I would sometimes fall back into my terrible habit of running when I panic or when there was something I couldn’t handle. If this was something just physical, then the last thing I would ever do was share something important with you, least of all trust you with the most important thing I have.” He took a deep breath and turned, eyes fixed on the wall just over Keith’s head. “The last thing I would ever feel was shame for being with you. Excuse me, for not assuming anyone would feel the same way about me.”

Keith glared over at Lance. “How can you be serious right now. I’ve made it clear how I feel, I don’t expect you to feel the same either, but don’t act like you don’t know that I’d do anything for you, that I’d gladly tell everyone in town how I feel.” Keith sighed, falling back onto the bed. “I love you, and I’m scared you’re going to realize I’ve been a colossal waste of time and leave, because the only people I can manage to keep around are the ones paid to stay.”

Lance sighed, and finally let go of the door handle and took a wary careful step back toward Keith. He closed his eyes for just a breath, as his mouth pressed into a thin line, before his shoulders hunched slightly and his hands disappeared into his pockets. “I told you once… that I didn’t want to ruin this… so just.. Let me say this, please.” He paused just long enough to take a breath before he was off. 

“I know you love me, but not because you say it. Anyone can say anything they want to. People lie, and that is just the way that it is. I didn’t leave because I’m  _ ashamed  _ to be seen with you. I left because I  _ panicked  _ over the idea that no matter how nice he’s been, Shiro may want more for you than me. It had  _ nothing  _ to do with you, and  _ everything  _ to do with him. No matter what  _ you  _ may think, to most I’m nothing, and someone like you deserves better than nothing. Shiro isn’t just the leader of your team, he’s your family and his opinion means a lot to you. I… didn’t want to possibly be the cause of a fight between you two. 

“I know that it’s a terrible excuse, but it’s the truth. I told you… that I wouldn’t be the reason that you lost your family. Hunk relies on you, Pidge treats you like a sibling; you are practically Shiro’s whole world. I… I just didn’t want them think badly of you… because of me.” 

Keith’s expression was nothing short of pained. “Lance. You’re more than I’ve ever wanted or deserved, and I think Shiro would just be happy that I’m happy for once.” He scooted back across the bed, turning down the covers in the empty space. “Can… Can we just call it a night?”

Slowly, Lances shoulders fell, and he sighed as he carefully crossed the room to sit on the bed. “I’ll… I’ll make it up to you. I… really don’t want you to think that…”

Keith hesitantly let his fingers brush across part of Lance’s back. “It’s alright, Lance. I was frustrated and overwhelmed and… I know you care… Let’s go to sleep, we can tell each other how stupid we are tomorrow.”

Lance let Keith coax him into laying down, but his mind was spinning. He knew all about the worry that people would leave, that it was because of you and Keith didn’t deserve to have those kinds of thoughts. Lance decided then and there, he would talk to Shiro in the morning. 

There was more space between them than usual, the discomfort of the argument still thick in the room. The two lay in silence as the minutes ticked by. As Lance was starting to wonder if Keith had nodded off, he heard the muttered, “this is stupid,” as Keith rolled over, wrapping his arms tightly around Lance. In seconds flat, Keith had buried his face in Lance’s torso, clinging to him tighter than usual and finally able to drift to sleep.

….

Keith jumped awake, heart hammering in his chest as loud banging filled the room. The sheets were tangled around him and one of his arms was trapped under a heavy weight. Keith groaned as his brain caught up with the moment. His arm was under Lance, waking up just as dazed and confused as Keith, as someone continued to knock loudly on the door to their room.

“What?!” Keith ignored the croakiness of his voice as he irritatedly barked at the person disturbing his sleep.

“Keith, I need your help with-”

“Shiro, are you kidding me?” Keith groaned turning towards Lance and muffling his groan and several curses in his shoulder.

“Get up or I’m sending Pidge in,” Shiro called through the door.

Keith shook his head but gently pulled his arm free from under Lance. He breathed him in before sitting up, stealing glances as much as he could. Last night had been… rough, and Keith wasn’t sure where to begin this morning. Lance was watching him as he pulled his clothes on, so he smiled softly and stepped back towards the bed. He let his fingers brush across the blankets where he could see the shape of Lance’s hand, unsure of skin to skin contact. Softer than the light sneaking through the window, Keith murmured, “sorry”.

Lance shook his head. “No…’S alright. We can…. Talk later. Better go.. He sounds.. upset.”

Keith made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat, but nodded, squeezing Lance’s hand before turning on his heel. He stomped his way down the stairs until he found Shiro standing at the table with papers and maps laid out before him. Shiro glanced up at him as he entered the room, sparing him only a moment’s notice before fixating back on the work at hand.

“Right, so what I was thinking is-”

“Shiro, if you interrupt me prigging one more time I’m going to make sure you and Allura never make it past hand holding,” Keith interrupted.

It took Shiro a second or two to even realize he’d been cut off, his words trailing off into silence as he looked at Keith confused. “W-what?”

“You heard what I said.” Keith looked at him deadpan as the gears in Shiro’s head visibly turned. “When Lance and I are behind closed doors-”

Shiro’s eyes widened, his mouth dropping open as he finally caught on. “Oh god, enough, I don’t need to hear anymore,” he frantically hissed as he brought his hands up in surrender. He shook his head as Keith stood there, the smirk on his face impossible to hold back. “How- when- No, I don’t want to know. Just tell me what you think of this route and then get out of my sight, I don’t want to talk about this ever again.”

Keith laughed, but he wandered over to the table to scrutinize the plan knowing he’d likely not make any changes to it.

….

Lance wandered through the house, avoiding any of the current residents and continuously going over the argument from the night before. He was aware that it was entirely his fault. If he had been in Keith’s position, he would have felt the same way, after all. The problem was, Lance had absolutely no idea how to fix it. Even Slade’s suggestions all seemed wrong somehow. Really it all narrowed down to him and his worries, along with his absolute inability to say what he felt. 

He’d tried, once, right before Shiro had knocked and it had been all he could think about the morning of Narti’s birthday. But that wasn’t good enough. Keith deserved better,  _ Hells _ , he deserved better than Lance but Keith wanted him, so Lance would stay. It was time that Lance stopped hurting Keith and just said it. But first, he had to fix this mess between them. The absolute last thing he wanted was for Keith to think Lance was only going to say it because of a fight or due to guilt. 

He’d already decided on how to personally make up the absolute failure of the previous night to Keith, but he still needed to do something about the awkward situation he’d left Keith in, and that meant talking to Shiro. Lance was fairly certain he would rather gouge out his own eyes than have this talk. 

So he drifted. Moving from one part of the house to the other, slipping into dark corners whenever he happened across anyone, mostly biding his time until he could catch Shiro alone. Gods above know he did not want  _ anyone  _ to overhear this discussion. 

When he finally found Shiro, alone, the man was sitting at the table, a mug near his hand and papers spread around the surface of the table. Rather than let his nerves get the better of him, this was for Keith after all, Lance appeared in the chair directly across from Shiro. 

“I need to talk to you….”

“Jesus christ,” Shiro gasped as he nearly upended his mug, sending several papers careening towards the ground. As soon as he’d caught his breath his glared across the table. “And you couldn’t have walked in here normally?”

“No. If I had to walk in here with you watching I would have ran all the way back to the Sanctuary like the Hounds of Death were at my heels.”

Shiro’s stern gaze softened around the edges, that paternal instinct his team always teased about rearing its head. “Lance, we’re a team, you can always bring anything to me.”

Lance blew out a long breath and stared at the table. “I hope so… A-anyway… it’s about.. Last night.. And I…. Just wanted to apologize and explain that it was entirely my fault.” 

“Lance, we asked you to show us what you could do,” Shiro distractedly answered, the unfinished plans already claiming some of his attention. “No one is mad about you besting us, in fact, I’m extremely pleased and excited to work your capabilities into the team dynamic.”

“That… That’s nice… but I didn’t mean about the training.. I meant after… you know.. When you came up to the room and….” Lance frowned, looking for a word that wouldn’t make him sound like a complete idiot. “And… I wasn’t there…?”

Shiro had bent over to retrieve his fallen papers, but as the words clicked, he elbowed the heavy wood with a loud thunk, nearly knocking over the mug once more. “Ah shit- ow!” The brief look of pain on his face was not enough to hide the embarrassment and horror as he avoided Lance’s eyes. “Uh- it’s- we don’t need to- I didn’t mean to walk in on- uh- listen, let’s just pretend that didn’t happen. Or this conversation.”

“But… see, I don’t want you to think badly of Keith… I mean, I know it looked bad, but really it was all my fault. I wasn’t thinking and I didn’t realize how that would look to you. I’m so sorry, but I just want to make things right for him.”

Shiro’s face was bright red. He busied his hands with piling together the papers and maps, ready to make his escape. “It’s really fine, Lance. You don’t need to mention it. Ever. Really. Please.”

Lance frowned, finally looking up at Shiro, noting the darting eyes and uncomfortable look. Those were things he was very familiar with. Had he offended Shiro so much that, he couldn’t even look at him now? Quietly adding that to the impending conversation with Keith, Lance tried just one more time to smooth things over. “I.. I mean I can.. Find somewhere else to sleep? So that you aren’t… well so that you don’t…” He sighed. “I can sleep somewhere else so that won’t happen again?”

Shiro cleared his throat. “You two are adults, you can slee- no, I can’t do this- What’s that, Coran,” he called towards another part of the house. “Better go see what he wants!” Shiro slipped out of the room as fast as he was capable of.

Well… so much for that whole Shiro would be happy for Keith idea… Lance sighed one last time, and glanced toward the stairs. Maybe he needed to rethink actually having that talk with Keith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHH those fight moves tho!!!
> 
> Am I/Keith the only one that gets hot and bothered by a good fight scene? Yes? Ok lol I guess it's time to come clean and let you know all fight scenes are me swimming in self-indulgence lol I hope they read well and bless Lindsay for letting me run wild with all the characters during them lol and man the use of his shadows in the bedroom, mark me/Keith down as scared and horny. And now Shiro is finally in on the fact that his pseudo brother is dating their new team mate and reconsidering his entire life lol
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you to everyone that has stuck with us, you guys are really amazing and make our days so much better, hope you all enjoyed the update.
> 
> <3Holly


	23. Up In Smoke

“Keith! Do you have a minute?”

Keith looked up from the knife he was cleaning. “What do you want, Pidge?” The little sleep he’d managed to get before Shiro so rudely woke him up was starting to catch up to him.

Pidge smirked, then one hand slipped into one of her pouches and pulled out an eerie green vial. “I finished your poison, the new one for your throwing knives.”

Keith ignored the niggle of guilt and sat a little straighter, holding out a hand. “Perfect, I had to clean the last of the previous batch off.”

With more care than usual, Pidge carefully set the little bottle in his hand. “Just so you know, Hunk helped on this one, and Lance actually found us some seeds from a Suicide Tree so it’s a bit more deadly and less incapacitating this time. Don’t prick yourself, or Hunk will cry and we will all suffer.”

“Except me, I’ll be dead,” he joked, pocketing the vial. “You make any antidotes just in case?”

“Of course, Hunk worries and wouldn’t allow us not to have some. He has a vial and so do I. But let’s not have a repeat of  Olkarion. None of us can handle that.”

Keith huffed. “That was one time… I didn’t expect that guy to know what he was doing.” Keith put away his knife and rag. “Do you have to bring it up  _ every  _ time you bring me a new batch?”

“Yes. Yes I do. Hunk cried for two days. On me.” Pidge glared. 

“What happened on you?”

“You; crying after Olkarion.”

“Oh Keith, you promised.” Hunk stared at him with wide sad eyes.

“It was one time!” Keith stood up, grabbing the rest of his supplies. “Who knew the guy was good with knives? He wasn’t supposed to catch it-” 

Hunk frowned, “I guess that’s fair… Oh! I almost forgot. Lance was looking for you. He said something about an apology?”

Pidge opened her mouth then closed it at Hunk’s look. 

Keith narrowed his eyes at her for a brief moment, but he was too tired to really feel like getting into it with her. He left the room with barely more than a thank you to Hunk. He wasn’t really looking forward to having this conversation with Lance, last night had been hard enough. He trudged up the stairs hoping he might be able to swindle cuddling and a nap out of Lance when it was all said and done. He took a deep breath as he made his way down the hall to their room.

A hand latched onto his arm and pulled Keith through the door. Keith ended up on his back across the bed with Lance perched over him; Lance’s hands were curled around Keith’s wrists, and he settled comfortably between his splayed legs, as the door closed with a soft click. It wasn’t lost on Keith that this was nearly identical to the position they’d been in last night, but fuck if it didn’t affect him in all the right ways despite the lingering tenseness of the morning.

A smile curled on his face as he pressed a soft, gentle kiss to Keith’s mouth. “Hello, handsome. I have twenty minutes before I have to go meet Shiro, and I can’t think of a better way to spend that time than with my mouth all over you.” Lance worked another casual grin across his face, hoping the words sounded as light and playful as he intended.

Keith couldn’t help the groan that those words caused and he tensed against Lance’s hold, testing his grip. He focused on working his right hand free, only managing to get it halfway to Lance’s face before his hand was jerked back to the bed. “L-Lance…”

“No -- Stay there. This is for  _ you _ .” Lance encouraged his shadows to curl around Keith’s wrists keeping him still, but letting Lance move freely. If Keith managed to distract him, Lance would lose all his courage for this apology, and that just wouldn’t do. He let his hands drift down Keith’s arms and sides, before they slipped under his shirt and pulled it up around his ribs. Almost immediately his mouth was mapping out the skin of Keith’s stomach as his hands settled on the ties of his pants working them open quickly.

Keith sucked in a breath, his stomach contracting at the soft kisses and sharp nips from Lance’s mouth. He couldn’t focus - Lance’s fingers were teasing along his hips, as his mouth slowly drove Keith insane. He wanted to touch, to run his fingers over Lance’s face, his hair, anything he could reach, but something was keeping his wrists pinned to the bed and Keith could not muster enough of his attention to see what it was.

Lance worked Keith’s pants down, fingers hooking along the band of his underwear to pull them down as well. He took a moment to enjoy the sight of Keith -- hair disheveled, shirt rucked up around his torso, pants hanging around his knees and his dick standing at full attention. He was likely the most beautiful thing Lance had ever seen.

He dropped his head, letting his breath ghost over Keith’s dick. “You look  _ so  _ good. I still can’t believe you’re letting me touch you like this.” He pressed a light kiss on the tip before trailing kisses down Keith’s length. He circled the base with his tongue before sliding back up and engulfing the head in his mouth.

“ _ Fuck! _ ” He felt his eyes roll back as Lance worked more of his dick into his mouth; Keith strained against the hold on his wrists.

Lance gently ran his hand down to cup Keith's balls and then behind to the skin between them and his hole. Keith tensed -- surprised -- before he relaxed and opened his legs a little more to give Lance better access.

He kept his mouth busy, sucking on the head while his other hand curled around the base. He alternated between long, hard sucks and pulling off completely, trailing the tip of his tongue down the vein, making a point not to repeat the same motion twice. He wanted Keith to feel just as good as he’d made Lance feel before. He pressed on Keith’s perineum with his thumb, then slowly let a finger circle Keith’s entrance, but not pushing in - just a light, barely there pressure.

_ Lance was going to kill him _ . Once more, Keith strained against the hold on his wrists, legs raising and shifting just a bit farther apart. Lance swallowed around him and Keith couldn’t stop the garbled moan that fell out of his mouth. He raised his head just enough to catch bright blue eyes staring at him, to see his dick surrounded by soft lips, before he threw his head back with a groan; he arched his back as Lance took him deeper in his mouth

“ _ L-Lance!-- _ ”

Lance worked Keith as quickly as he could - aware of the short amount of time that he had. He swallowed Keith back down, fingers trailing back up to gently squeeze Keith’s balls as Lance hummed around the weight in his mouth.

Keith came with a strangled sound, shifting his hips up, seeking more of that warm, wonderful heat, before he collapsed back onto the bead, breathing hard. He was vaguely aware of a warm tongue cleaning him up, of gentle hands tugging his pants back up his hips, and a soft pair of lips pressing against his cheek.

“I have to go… Shiro will be looking for me.” Lance murmured, leaving one last peck on Keith’s cheek, dismissing the shadows that had been holding his hands still.

“Wait -- Just --” Keith raised a shaky arm and grabbed at Lance. He pulled him down into one last kiss before he let him go. He smiled up at Lance - face red, and still panting. “I- have never hated Shiro more, but you… you I love. Stay with me, let him wait.”

Lance smiled, soft and sweet. He  _ really  _ liked hearing that. He wanted to climb back onto the bed, wrap Keith up in his arms and stay there until dinner. Lance was sure he felt the same way, he’d never felt this way for anyone, not even Narti. He loved her, she was his precious little sister, but Keith… Keith felt like more. He had the words on the tip of his tongue but he felt like he was back in the mines, dust and ash coating the back of his throat. “I wish I could. I really do, but Hunk told me Shiro said I have to get a weapon today, and he wanted to help me pick out a gun. Pidge and Hunk are joining us.” He kissed Keith again, lingering longer than he should. “You… could come with us? I… don’t really… want to leave you either…”

Keith groaned. “Worst. Brother. Ever,” he complained as he halfheartedly fixed his clothes as much as he could still lying down. “I’ll come with you… maybe I can help make it a quick trip and we can get back to this.” He pushed himself up enough to kiss Lance.

Lance laughed softly into the kiss, before he pulled back, eyes bright. “Back to this, hmm?” He shook his head, letting his nose rub against Keith’s. “This, was for you. We’ll do something else, later. After all, you said you wanted me with you forever. That’s plenty of time for more of this.”

“I’m holding you to that,” Keith teased, his cheeks flushing at the thought of him and Lance together forever. He could never get enough of it, of Lance.

….

Despite the bright afternoon sun, it was a cool day. There was a steady wind blowing from the east, and a hint of smoke in the air. Given the cool temperature the market was nowhere near as busy as it had been the last time the team visited together. The lack of people made it easier for Lance to relax a bit, actually letting Hunk coax a story out of him about some of the places he’d been. 

Shiro was at the head of the group, pretending to be looking out for other possible threats, but in truth he was avoiding both Keith and Lance in hope that their earlier conversations could not ever be repeated, while Pidge was seemingly content trailing alongside Keith, with a smirk playing on her face. 

Keith side eyed Pidge for only a moment before his eyes fixed back on the rest of the group. “Whatever it is that you’re considering saying… don’t.”

“I was just thinking that it must have been one hell of an apology if your mood is this good now.” Pidge ignored the warning and eyed Keith right back. “I mean you were practically ready to murder us all.” 

“What?” Keith tore his gaze away from Lance’s back to frown at Pidge. “What are you talking about?”

Blinking, she slowly answered. “Remember earlier? When Hunk said Lance wanted you for an apology?” She slowly patted Keith’s arm. “Are you alright? You’re really off today..”

Keith turned back, staring at Lance’s back as he recalled earlier in the day. “An apology…” The words were molasses in his mouth. He had been so tired earlier, and then absolutely distracted by Lance. Was that what that was? 

Pidge stared at Keith for a minute, before she turned to look at Lance. “I’m starting to think…”

“S-shade!”

The call of the name, immediately caught Lance’s attention, much easier than his actual name did at times, and he instantly turned to see who called, before he dropped his pack and darted over to the short limping man in the long white coat. 

“Slav! What happened? Are you alright? Where’s Shroud?”

Small, shaky hands gripped at Lance’s coat, as the normally energetic man, took several painful sounding breaths. “S-sanctuary. It.. it was attacked. She ran from me…” The hands tightened, when Lance started to jerk backward. “A-a gang broke open the gate, I..”

The little man tilted, as Hunk helped steady him. “I’m… sorry.”

Keith’s stomach dropped as the news washed over them. Before he could really piece together his thoughts, his fingers were curling tightly around Lance’s wrist. He wanted to be calm and comforting, but more importantly he wanted to make sure Lance didn’t leave his side. As much as Keith was ready to bolt into action, his current priority was Lance, and he could already feel the hum of a violent fight or flight response radiating off of Lance. “Shade…”

Lance’s mind went eerily blank for a long moment, then he blinked, aware of Pidge’s rapid fire questions, Hunk’s worried eyes, the slowly spreading red on Slav’s white coat, and the feel of Keith’s fingers around his wrist. He would worry about that later for now, he focused on Slav’s face. “Where did she go, Slav?”

“To the tunnel…”

The tunnels. It was one of the three ways in or out of the Sanctuary, really only to be used in an emergency, because they were dark and difficult to navigate. She should be fairly safe there, but… “I’m going after her.” His voice was cold and sharp, as he, with far more care than he felt, released Slav’s grip on his coat. “Hunk, can you look after him? Pidge, you are faster than any of us, will you find Coran? Tell him I’m going.” 

“La-Shade, wait.” Shiro stepped in, voice low and even as he tried to hold Lance’s gaze. “Whoever attacked the sanctuary could still be there, and after everything with Rolo and the men that followed you and Keith, I don’t think it’s safe for you to be rushing in there.”

Lance’s eyes snapped to Shiro and he scowled, before they darted away, toward the wall of a bakery. The shadows of the group, were stretched across the ground, and were just barely visible on the stones. “ _ Slade _ ! Go find her! Keep her  _ safe _ .” 

The shadow in the middle, vanished, leaving an odd blank spot where it had been before Lance’s eyes were back on Shiro. “If you think that I’m not going to go, then you should reconsider. I  _ love  _ her.” He almost snapped the words, eyes slightly brighter than usual. “I will do  _ anything  _ for the people I love. It may be a short list with only two names on it, but what in all the  _ Hells  _ makes you think I would be willing to give up either of them? Keith may be new to that list, but Shroud has been there for  _ years _ . So you can either help, or  _ get out of my way _ .” The last words were hissed through his teeth as he jerked out of Keith’s grip and took off running for the Sanctuary. 

Keith’s feet were moving before he’d even given it a thought. They pounded across the uneven terrain of the woods between town and the Sanctuary, never quite fast enough to catch up to Lance as he flit between shadows. He ran faster. He was not about to let the idiot run straight into his death right after admitting his feelings. The words bounced around in Keith’s head, a bizarre mixture of worried and elated. Sweat gathered in his palms and at the back of his neck and he wasn’t entirely sure it could be blamed on the running. 

He lost track of Lance just as he was nearing a crop of trees he recognized. They were near the place he’d first laid eyes on Lance. His heart hammered in his chest as he slowed, head whipping from side to side as he tried to catch a glimpse of Lance, distantly aware of Shiro calling both of their names, growing closer by the second.

The light hint of smoke was much thicker now, visible just past a particularly thick bit of trees and plants. The ground was littered with boot prints, all facing different directions making it almost impossible to tell which way they were heading. The increase in the smoke, burned and caused Keith’s eyes to water, as he finally stopped, chest heaving, looking about for something,  _ anything _ , that would give him a clue where to go.

Keith could hear Shiro’s footsteps, the exasperated worried tone in his voice, but that didn’t matter, because there, just a hint between the leaves was a bright flash of orange, there and gone in a blink. Immediately he was moving, shoving branches aside with Shiro hot on his heels. 

Shiro sucked in a sharp harsh breath when they breached the trees. There was smoke and flames licking at the trees near the mouth of a large cavern. Bits of wood and metal littered the ground in front of the opening as a handful of people, all dressed shabbily either coughed or bled on the ground. Not far from the opening stood Lance, back stiff and hands curled at his sides, an expression of horror on his face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.
> 
> There's a lot of turmoil in the fandom right now. And I hope that if you liked the new season, that you're taking care of yourself and find people that also enjoyed it. If you didn't enjoy it, I hope you move on to a show and a fandom that you can enjoy. This fic and our blogs are safe places. There will be no season bashing, creator attacking or anything like that. If you can't be respectful, you will be reported and your comments will be deleted. I doubt I'll have to worry about it, since our readers are always incredibly kind, but I felt it needed to be said. For those of you that want to discuss the new season, please feel free to hit us up on tumblr!
> 
> Now... HOW ABOUT THAT CHAPTER???  
> I hope you angst demons are feeling well fed :) and your welcome for the worst cliff hanger I have ever written/posted.
> 
> <3 Holly
> 
> \---------------
> 
> You all asked for angst so I delivered. You're welcome.  
> >:) Lindsay


	24. Should The Sky Be Filled With Fire and Smoke

Shiro stumbled, eyes roving over the people and their surroundings, but Keith made a straight and sure path to Lance. He looked him over for any new injuries, his hands coming slowly up to rest behind Lance’s elbows as he tried to catch his attention without setting Lance off or making him feel too caged in. The more panicked and upset Lance got, the harder it was going to be to find Narti and get them both out of here safely.

Lance didn’t even notice the touch, too lost at the sight of the flames and smoke. Some small part of his mind knew, rationally, that the Sanctuary wasn’t anything like the old worn wooden house that had burned before, but the end result  _ could  _ be the same. Slade was in there, with Narti, and Lance needed to be in there as well, but he simply could not make his feet move. 

“Lance,” Keith murmured loud enough for only Lance to hear over the commotion. “Hey, I need you to come back to me… Lance…”

Abruptly, Lance’s eyes darted from the flames to Keith and then back to the fire. “K-keith… Narti…”

“I know, we’re going to get her out of here, but I need you to focus on me.” Keith gripped Lance’s arms a little tighter. 

Slowly, Lance nodded, only half listening. Without Slade to translate, all he could really hear was the whispers and the occasional crackle of the fire. He was in the middle of shaking his head to help clear his thoughts when a loud shout drew his attention. 

“SHIRO!” Pidge’s yell was plainly heard over all the noise, as both she and Coran ran into the clearing.

A relieved look crossed Coran’s face, before he was immediately talking. “Shiro! Thank everything you are here, can you assist me? I need to get these people away from here and out of this smoke… Keith, La-Shade, will you…”

“..no.” Lance’s words were too soft to be heard, but he tensed in Keith’s grip, before speaking a bit louder.. “No. I.. I have to find Narti. Coran. I have to. She’s…  _ Narti _ !” Between one thought and the next he was loose, racing toward the open cavern and disappearing inside.

Keith felt his arm wrench to the side as he started to tear after Lance. He looked back wild eyed to see Shiro holding him back. “Shiro, let me go!”

“I can’t let you just blindly run in after him! It isn’t safe in there, and if you get hurt or lost in there-”

“I can’t just let him go in there alone!” Keith pulled his arm free. 

“Wait! I’m coming with you. Coran, where are the tunnels?”

Coran frowned. “The tunnels? They are.. How do I explain..” He shook his head and pointed at the entrance. “It’s a large sprawling cavern and most of it is underground. The tunnels, branch out from two different places and.. end near the river but in the opposite direction of the city.  Mostly east, stay left, as those are the ones Shade prefers.”

“What about me?” Pidge demanded, glaring at them both.

“Stay with Coran and help these people. They’re going to need food and water and first aid. Besides, Hunk will lose it if he shows up and finds out you’re in there.”

Pidge grudgingly nodded and moved off but Coran caught Shiro’s shoulder. “Shiro. Please, be extremely careful. While the tunnels are stable and secure, they are also extremely dark and it is very easy to get lost.” He cleared his throat and let go, stepping back. “I do not wish to be the one to tell Allura of your heroics.”

Shiro swallowed and nodded, finally looking away and jogging to catch up to where Keith had stopped just short of the entrance to the cave. He fiddled with his prosthetic for a moment until it glowed a soft purple color before giving Keith a meaningful look. “Stay close to me, I don’t want to lose you.” The implications of that hung heavy in the air.

Darkness engulfed them within steps of the opening to the cavern. Shiro hugged the left wall of the sprawling system, seeing dark stretches of paths snaking off to the right every so often. The smell was awful, smoke still billowed from various archways, and Shiro was worried what they might find further in. Keith yelled Lance’s name, barely taking a breath from one to the next, only stopping when the smoke choked him. Shiro kept their pace slow as the sloping ground grew steeper.

The glowing fires not yet gone out had started as a helpful momentary relief, bathing the caverns in light enough to see much further ahead of them than the glow of Shiro’s arm would allow. They made note to stomp out what blankets they might pass by on their way back and continued on. The sense of relief quickly turned to a nauseating horror when the flames lighting their path were fueled by smoldering remains, Unfortunates still wrapped in their blankets, unprepared for the nightmarish act of violence. After that, Keith and Shiro steered away from any fires as much as possible. Keith no longer yelled, the noise seeming disrespectful.

The smoke and heat began to die down, the dark caves getting quieter with every step until the only sound was their footsteps echoing back at them and the steady drip of water somewhere nearby. The cavern they were currently in began to narrow, twisting sharply to the left, and as they rounded the corner, a faint noise could be heard, reverberating and distorted by the strange acoustics. Shiro held out a hand to stop Keith as they listened. 

“Nartiiii,” came Lance’s unmistakable yell, just barely audible.

“Lance!” Keith made to break into a sprint, but luckily Shiro already had his arm in front of him and was able to block him.

“Wait, you won’t be able to see-”

“Then move faster!”

Keith bullied Shiro into a jog as they made their way through the labyrinthian tunnels, stopping periodically to listen for Lance. After hitting more than one dead end, and making what Shiro was pretty sure was a big circle, he knew they needed to change their tactics.

“On three, yell his name as loud as you can. One. Two. Three-”

The two yelled Lance in unison, holding the last syllable as long as they were able and then waited in the daunting silence for something. Anything.

It took a moment for the last of the echoes to fade, before the silence settled around them. In the dim glow from his arm, Shiro could just see Keith’s face, eyes closed as he strained to hear something, anything in the silence. He turned just a bit, eyes darting around and jumped at the odd blue glowing eyes staring back at him from just beyond the light from his arm. 

“Christ,” Shiro bit out, dropping into a defensive stance and throwing Keith into more darkness.

Keith’s eyes shot open, darting around for a sign of what Shiro had seen, and when those eyes turned towards him, he could have collapsed from the relief coursing through his body. “Lance!” He threw himself towards where he hoped the rest of Lance was, arms wrapping around what he collided with. “I was so worried, I’m so glad-” As Shiro stepped closer, the purple glow illuminated Lance, streaked with soot and tears, desperately clinging to Narti.

“Oh thank god,” Shiro breathed.

Keith was speechless, adrenaline starting to wane now that he knew they were both safe. He clenched his teeth against his traitorous bottom lip starting to tremble and pulled them both into crushing hug.

“She’s alright…” Lance’s voice was slightly hoarse, the slight drawl to his words more pronounced than usual. “She ran down here because I told her they were safe… But she’s pretty scared.” 

Narti had both arms around Lance’s neck, Kova’s ears and the corner of her book just visible. Her face was hidden by Lance’s shoulder, and his arms were just as tight around her. “T-thank you, for helping me look for her.”

Keith held them tighter while Shiro drew closer, putting his hand on Lance’s shoulder. “We look out for our own. For family.” He gave Lance a reassuring smile.

Keith took a deep breath, smoke still heavy on their clothes and hair where he had his face buried in Lance’s collar and Narti’s hair. He pulled back, letting one arm fall to his side before thinking better of it and running his fingers through Narti’s matted hair. He looked at Lance, wishing he had the words for what he felt in that moment. Instead, he pulled him down for a soft but desperate kiss.

Lance kept the kiss short, but the corner of his mouth quirked up slightly before he glanced back at Shiro. “We should go. I.. I want to..” He swallowed, glanced at Keith, then stared at Shiro. “I want to see if Coran will look her over.” 

“I think that’s a good idea-”

Keith reluctantly stepped back, but he twisted his fingers in the hem of Lance’s shirt, not ready to break contact yet. “Yeah, let’s get you two home and cleaned up and taken care of so I can never let either of you leave my sight again,” Keith said under his breath.

“-but I have no idea how to get out of here, so I’m hoping you do.”

He chewed on his lip as he looked around, then down at Narti before he nodded. “Yeah.. I can get us out, but, I need you to do exactly as I say. Keith.. Knows the rules. So just… hold on and do not let go of me for any reason. Don’t bump Narti, because she’s difficult to hold with just one arm.” He shifted, balancing her on his hip, one arm still curled around her, and held out his hand to Shiro. “I’m serious though, Shiro. Neither of you can let go until I say so.” 

“A-alright…” Shiro tentatively took Lance’s hand, taking note that Keith held onto Lance a little tighter, but didn’t otherwise look worried.

Lance took just a second to consider the fastest route back, and tightened his grip on both Narti and Shiro, confident in Keith’s hold on his waist. It was awkward, and he’ll likely sleep much longer than usual, but he wanted Narti out and looked over quickly and this was by far, the fastest way. He took a deep breath and they vanished. 

The tunnel seemed much brighter now, walls and rocks easily visible where before there had been nothing but darkness. The sound of dripping water and the smell of the smoke disappeared, as if they didn’t exist. The thing that caught Lance’s attention was Shiro’s arm. Where before it had glowed a soft purple, now it looked like it was shrouded in shadows, easily as dark as the familiar hands that curled and tugged on his coat. 

Shiro’s eyes were comically large as he looked around them, watching as the walls of the cave blurred past them. His gaze locked onto Lance’s eyes for a moment before wandering down to where their hands were connected. His grip tightened looking at his arm, and if he hadn’t already felt like the air was being pushed from his lungs, he would have wondered aloud at it. Concern etching his features, he turned to look for Keith, but his brother simply smiled at him from where his cheek was leaned against Lance’s back, and in what he wasn’t sure was moments or hours, it was over.

Between one blink and the next, they were back near the entrance to the Sanctuary. The light was plainly visible outside, and Lance immediately released his hold on Shiro to loop his arm around Narti again. He kept his eyes on her, but one hand did brush over Keith’s before it settled on Narti’s back. “I.. um…”

“That was…” Shiro shook his head, a shiver running through his body. “-interesting…”

Keith laughed breathlessly, only moderately less affected. “Amazing though, right?”

Lance’s smile was a small wane thing. “I think… useful maybe…” He shifting drawing Narti a bit higher in his hold. “I..” He coughed, and shook his head. “She has a cut, but I will still feel better if Coran looks her over…”

“Good idea,” Shiro said, looking around for Coran. “I’ll see if I can find him.” He hurried into the small clusters of people still gathered around.

Keith circled around Lance until they were facing each other. He laid his hand across Narti’s back. “How’s our brave girl, huh?” He asked her, leaning against Lance to lay his head on Lance’s collar bone to look her in the eyes.

She turned her face just slightly out of Lance’s shoulder, the cut he’d mentioned small but bright on her forehead. Like Lance, her face was streaked with tears and grime. Her eyes crinkled and she hid her face again. 

“I’m sorry. I’m.. sorry that I made you chase me down like that… But I just.. Couldn’t leave her..”

Keith straightened back up, but barely moved away from Lance. He shook his head. “I would have been down there with you anyway, I’m just glad-” Keith took a deep breath. He didn’t think he had the words to express how glad he was that they were both safe and in his sight. “As soon as Coran’s looked her over we’re getting out of here and going home.”

Lance chewed on his lip, eyes darting around the clearing, drifting from familiar face to face, noting missing ones, and taking a breath before he ducked his head a bit, voice muffled by Narti’s hair. “I.. have my home here…”

Keith blinked, the words slowly sinking in before he turned a deep shade of red, his mouth opening once before snapping shut. “Don’t say things like that unless you want me to kiss you here in front of everyone,” Keith hissed, just this side of breathless.

“Sorry.” Lance mumbled, straightening up a bit from his slouch and letting out a sigh. “I just… the fire you know? I.. well…” There was a long pause, before he continued. “The last time I was in a fire, I lost a lot.. And I was not watching what I was saying… Sorry.”

Keith spared a quick glance around to see if anyone was paying them any attention. He brought his hand up to Lance’s cheek, wiping away a streak of soot with his thumb. “You’re alright. Narti is alright. I’m alright. You’re not losing anyone this time, breathe.” Keith continued running his thumb across his cheek, despite it no longer being dirty. “I love you,” he murmured.

Lance’s breath was a little shaky, but he nodded, letting his head drop just a little to rest on Keith’s shoulder briefly. “Yeah… I know.. But I; um…” his head came back up, and he nodded firmly. “Love you too…” The words were rushed and mumbled but, still audible. 

Keith couldn’t help the wide dopey smile making his cheeks hurt. His stomach felt like it was somersaulting, his heart pounding. He felt like he could scream from the treetops, or cry, or wrap Lance tightly in his arms and kiss him for all the world to see. Instead he laughed, dipping his head enough that his hair hid his face a little more. “Yeah?”

Lance shifted, still anxious but watched a little hand reach out, catch some of Keith’s hair and tug lightly. Narti had finally raised her head all the way off Lance’s shoulder and was nodding.

To hell with anyone watching. Keith pulled Lance and Narti into a tight hug, kissing the top of Narti’s head and sneaking a quick kiss to the underside of Lance’s jaw before tucking his head in next to Narti. “Good,” he sighed, marveling at his unwavering voice. “Good.”

Slightly anxious, Lance sighed. “Let’s go find Coran. I think Shiro missed him or something. And we can… talk more later?” 

Keith nodded, pulling away. “I’m ready to get you both home,” he said, a scowl starting to pull at his brow.

There was an absent nod as Lance looked over each group from Coran’s tell-tale hair color. “I thought home was half a day from here… I don’t really want to walk that far today… can’t we just.. Go back to Coran’s?”

Keith’s steps faltered. “I- uh… y-yeah,” he managed to stutter out, the blush back in full bloom across his cheeks, but he couldn’t bite back the smile or the warmth spreading through his chest. 

“Hey, are you all alright? Keith, did you get burned? Your face is red…” Pidge appeared from a small group, looking over them with something that would be concern on anyone else. “You two don’t seem too hurt… Coran is over by those trees. Shiro said you were looking for him. I’ll have Hunk look at Keith’s burns.”

“I’m fine,” Keith choked out in embarrassment, ignoring the humored look on Lance’s face. 

At Pidge’s arrival, Narti ducked her face away again, arms curling tight around Lance’s shoulders. As much as he wanted to join in the teasing, to try and get back to the more light hearted banter that the team made seem so very easy, he had to focus on Narti first. Surely, he could talk to Keith later. 

“Sorry, Pidge. She’s..” He shook his head. “We’ll just go see Coran.” 

Pidge watched Lance’s retreat for a minute before her sharp eyes narrowed on Keith. “Is he.. Alright? He seems… uneasy.”

Keith shrugged noncommittally, looking around them. “Wouldn’t you be?” He watched Lance make his way towards Coran. “Until we know what happened here, I think we should all be a little uneasy. I don’t think we should stay any longer than necessary.”

Pidge nodded. “That’s true… Coran vouched for us while you and Shiro were inside, and a couple of … them let Hunk look them over, so it would probably be good so do our own information gathering and compare it all later at Coran’s.” She glanced over her shoulder, then nudged Keith. “Why don’t you go keep an eye on them, I’ll let Shiro know for you.” She gave a little shrug. “You know.. Just this once…”

Keith met her look with a nod. “Thank you.” His voice soft, but he knew she heard him. “Let’s get out of here as soon as possible.”

Pidge left him with a little wave, heading directly toward Shiro without looking back. Coran was doing his best to coax Narti into looking at him so he could inspect her cut, but she seemed adamant about keeping her face hidden in Lance’s shoulder. Lance himself was tense, shoulders raised, and his eyes kept darting from one thing to another. 

Keith watched them from a few paces back, keeping one eye on their surroundings. When Coran didn’t seem to be having much luck, he stepped up to their little cluster. He brushed his fingers across Lance’s arms as he circled around to face him along with Coran. “Hey, little one…” He waited for Narti to turn, glancing up at Lance, but she made no move. “Shroud, Coran just wants to check you over, I promise he’ll be gentle. He just wants to look.” He couldn’t help but smile at the tactic Shiro had tricked him with on so many occasions growing up. Still, there was no change. He huffed, glancing around to make sure the rest of the team was out of eyeline. “Hey, Shroud, I’ve been practicing my dinosaur face, how’s it look?” Keith bared his teeth as much as he could, eyebrows furrowed deeply.

Coran was watching with a slightly amused face, before making an appropriately terrified sound. “My… that is terrifying!” 

Tiny shoulders slowly drooped as she finally raised her head just enough to peek up at Keith. Her eyes were a bit wet, but they slowly widened, before she made a face, and loosened her grip just enough to fake swipe at him.

Lance smiled, the corner of his mouth quirking up before he shared a glance with Coran. When he spoke, his voice was soft. “Narti… If you let Coran look at the cut on your head, I promise that Keith and I will both tell you a story when we get back. I won’t let you go even for a second.”

Slowly, she turned from Keith to Lance, before scowling and finally letting Coran look at the cut. 

“Sorry, Keith…” Lance murmured. 

There was no holding back the smile, so Keith embraced it, patting Narti gently. He winked at Lance and stepped back, returning to his guarded position as he watched others come and go. As soon as Coran was done, he was going to insist on taking Lance and Narti back to the house.

Coran for his part, carefully did not touch, but instead mentioned an ointment that would make it not hurt and gave Lance permission to use it once they returned home. Then he smiled and ignoring Keith and Lance, asked Narti to go and check his house for him, earning a tiny smile.

“Thank you, Coran.” Lance offered quietly, before looking at Keith questioningly. “Are… are you going with us, or does Shiro need you here?””

“I’m going with you,” Keith said without hesitation. He knew Pidge would let Shiro know what was going on. “I’m ready when you are.”

Narti curled back into Lance's shoulder and he smiled down at her before glancing around just once and shyly curling his free hand around Keith’s fingers. 

“Thank you... I… I’m..” He blew out a sharp breath that had Narti looking up at him. He sighed, once then started again. “I don't exactly… feel.. I don’t.. I don't want you too far away right now….” He shifted Narti a bit higher, cheeks slightly pink and that worried frown still in place. 

Keith gently squeezed the fingers laced between his own. “I’m right here,” he reassured breathlessly. “I’m not going anywhere that doesn’t have you. I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello
> 
> I hope everyone is surviving these last couple chapters! Linds likes for everyone to think that she's the evil mastermind behind any and all angst in this fic and that I'm sugar and spice and everything nice, so as payback, please direct all angry comments from here out towards her. 
> 
> Thank you guys so much for all of your support and lovely feedback. Every one of your comments are a delight and we can't thank you enough.
> 
> <3 Holly


	25. Like Cat and Mouse

Lance kept Narti in his arms the entire walk back to Coran’s and true to his word, did not put her down even after they arrived. Instead, he murmured stories in her ear, and curled up on a bare patch of floor, so that they could both sprawl out, but still be visible when everyone else got back. 

Keith had tried to lounge in the chair nearest to Lance, just close enough to prod with the tips of his toes every now and again. But the worry and unsettled anxiety of the day was eating at him. It didn’t sit right with him, too many unanswered questions and half plausible motives. He paced around the downstairs, never going far enough to lose sight of Lance and Narti. He hoped that when the others arrived that maybe new information had come to light on why something so terrible had happened… and maybe Keith wouldn’t feel so close to losing everything he loved.

“Keith….” Lance’s voice was soft, in a way it really only was around Narti. “Why don’t we clean this cut up? Otherwise, Shiro will fuss and Narti is pretty anxious still. I don’t want her to bite him…”

It took a second for Keith to break free of his thoughts, he shook his head and came to kneel in front of them. He gently brushed Narti’s hair away from her face to get a better look. “All the dry blood must be itchy, huh? Can I hold you so Lance can get up and get what we need?”

Narti frowned and tightened her hold but nodded. She very slowly and reluctantly let go before curling around Keith and watching Lance like a hawk. 

“Alright. I’ll go up and get the stuff and come right back. I promise.” He poked her nose, and finally stood up, heading for the stairs.

Keith absently rubbed her back as he carried her to the kitchen. He rummaged around in a cupboard with one arm until he pulled out a small bit of sweet bread he knew Hunk had stashed away. He smiled conspiratorially and winked at Narti, placing the bread on the counter. He took the kettle from the stove and filled it, replacing it and lighting the range as he hummed off key to Narti. He found a clean mug and some type of tea he had never heard of before and leaned against the counter while they waited.

When Lance came back in, a handful of bandages and some ointment in his hands he couldn’t help the small smile that crossed his face at Narti, almost literally hanging off Keith. She wasn’t as energetic as she normally was, and her arms never left Keith’s shoulders, but she wasn’t hiding either.

Rather than ruin the bit of light heartedness the two had found, he instead, just stepped close and started cleaning the cut, as she leaned on Keith. 

Keith hummed a little quieter, just for Narti, rubbing circles on her back again. “You’ve definitely earned that snack after all this, huh, brave girl?”

She nodded, and Lance rolled his eyes, nudging her face back up so he could finish the bandage. “Okay, my Shroud, you are all better. Keith can give you your snack now.” He kissed the bandage, and earned himself a light smack with Kova. 

A small chuckle bubbled up out of Keith and Narti at the same time. He shifted her to his hip, grabbing the sweet bread and unwrapping it before handing it to her. The kettle had started to whistle, so he poured the tea as full as he felt was safe from being sloshed and turned, handing it to Lance. “And this is for you. Brave men deserve something too.”

Lance took the cup with a small smile. “And what about you? What do dedicated protectors get…? Hmm.. Narti, what should we give Keith for looking after us?”

Narti paused, bite in her mouth, before her head tilted slightly. Her eyes darted from Lance to Keith, before she nodded once and again, smushed Kova’s nose into Keith’s cheek.

“You know… that’s a good idea.” Lance kissed Keith’s other cheek before playing with the cup. 

A warm blush bloomed across Keith’s cheeks. He chewed the inside of his cheek, attempting to keep the smile threatening to make itself known in check. “Just one?... I feel like I definitely deserve one more.”

Lance hid his smile behind his cup. “That sounds fair to me. Don’t you think so, Narti?” 

She carefully let her bit of bread down, and started pushing Kova’s face into Keith’s over and over, a real smile finally crossing her face. 

Keith laughed, finally holding his hand up to catch Kova’s head. “Th-thank you! Thank you, alright!” His attempt to calm her dissolved into giggles as Narti continued trying to move Kova. “Thank you for the kisses, I think I have plenty for now.”

Lance set his cup down, and handed Narti her bread again. “Well, good. I would hate to think you weren’t properly rewarded.” He dropped a kiss onto Keith’s nose, then rubbed a hand over his face. “It’s been a long day….”

Keith sighed, his smile fading slightly. “It has.” He wished he could say it was over. “Why don’t we go lay down for a bit Little One? I think Lance promised you a story.”

Narti nodded, and wiggled free from Keith just enough to practically leap into Lance’s arms. He huffed, when the corner of her book caught him yet again, and sighed. “First thing tomorrow, you and I will go and get a bag for your things, but Keith’s right. I promised you stories.” 

They ended up back on the floor, because it let them stretch out easily, and this way Lance didn’t have to really move to make the shadows dance for Narti. He was only about a third of the way through one when the door opened and Pidge popped her head in then immediately disappeared back out. The door opened a bit more and Shiro stumbled in from the force of her push. 

Shiro huffed, freezing when he caught sight of all three of them staring at him. He blushed, standing up straight and looking behind him. “Um,” he laughed, his embarrassment plain as day. “I’m glad you’re all home, is everyone alright?”

Narti immediately buried her face into Lance’s chest and curled a little tighter around Kova. Even Pidge’s face softened a bit. 

“Hey, now. It’s just Pidge and Shiro. They’re safe. Remember, the really nice birthday they helped you have? Come on, show them you are alright.”

Slowly she raised her head again and pointed at the bandage.

Shiro smiled, crossing the room to sit in the chair near them.

“We’re alright,” Keith added. “But I want to know what’s going on.”

Lance elbowed Keith lightly, then pointedly looked at Narti’s head, then stared at Shiro, shaking his head slightly, before he pulled her a bit closer and started his story up again, this time without the shadows, starting to lull her to sleep. She didn’t need anything else to upset her today, and Lance was confident he could ease her to sleep easily, then they could talk. 

Keith nodded when Shiro’s eyes turned his way. Shiro leaned back into the chair, the wood groaned in time with several of his joints popping. Keith winced a little, the stress and labor of the day now clearly evident in the set of Shiro’s shoulders as he slowly let down his guard. Keith let his attention wander back to Lance, letting the even beat of his storytelling nearly put him to sleep as well.

By the time Hunk arrived, Narti had settled into a sound sleep, but Lance made no effort to move her. Instead he leaned a bit more on the wall, and kept one arm curled around her. 

“Thank you, Shiro, for waiting. You can talk now, not much will wake her up.”

Pidge tilted her head. “I’m surprised, she sleeps so soundly. I mean, you barely sleep at all.”

“She’s safe. So she sleeps.”

Shiro sighed heavily, sitting further up in his chair, elbows resting on his thighs. He did not look happy to be having this conversation. “What happened today was clearly a well planned hit.”

Pidge leaned forward, pushing her glasses up her nose. “But, they were slightly sloppy too. Apparently, they didn’t expect so many people to be there.”

“From what I heard, I think it was the same gang that attacked you before.” Hunk added, looking a bit angry. “The thing is, no one there was really sure what they wanted. They attacked but didn’t ask many questions.”

“I see…” Lance scowled in the direction of the floor. “I.. see…”

Shiro’s jaw tightened, raising Keith’s hackles. He instinctively braced for whatever Shiro had to say, reaching a hand out to grip Lance’s leg. “From the information we gathered from anyone willing to speak to us,” Shiro started, eyes focusing on his tightly clasped hands. “We know that they checked every individual they came in contact with before laying waste to the area. That they were looking for someone.” Shiro eyes darted up to meet Lance’s.

Pidge and Hunk exchanged a look when Lance stayed silent before Hunk nervously started speaking again. 

“But um.. I didn’t hear anything about them looking for Shroud.”

Lance let out a long slow breath. “That’s.. Good. Because…” He glanced at Keith for a long moment then looked back at Shiro. “I think I would have done several extremely stupid things.”

“Lance, we think they were looking for you.” Shiro waited for a reaction from Lance, but Keith was already thrumming with unchecked rage and frustration and fear. He should have been more wary, he shouldn’t have been so easily settled into this false sense of security just because he wanted to keep existing in this perfect bubble with Lance. He had known that gang was trouble. What if Lance or Narti had been hurt? What if they had been killed? Keith was the last person to run away from a fight, but he couldn’t get the image of the burning remains in the caves out of his head, this time in the shape of two of the people he loved most.

“We have to leave.”

Pidge and Hunk both started, staring at Keith with wide eyes. “Leave?”

Even Lance had snapped out of his thoughts and was studying Keith with a confused look. 

Keith’s eyes couldn’t focus on any one of them, too far spiraled in his terrifying thoughts. “We can’t stay here. If they knew how to find the sanctuary, then they have inside information. If someone knows where Lance usually stays and knows how to find a place that not even we could find, then they’re going to know where to start looking next, and I- I can’t-” He shook his head. His mouth opened and closed a few times before his eyes met Lance’s, pleading.

Lance stared, mouth slightly open. “Wait… so… you want me and Narti to go into hiding?”

Pidge’s eyes moved from one to the other several times, before she nudged Shiro, and mouthed ‘Narti?’ at him, then nudged him again, hard.

Hunk started gripping his hands together, a worried look on his face. “But… where could they go?”

Keith didn’t have a plan for this, he just knew that here wasn’t safe and that meant Lance and Narti couldn’t be here. “Anywhere. Somewhere where no one knows you… Home. We can shadow travel there and you and Narti can lay low there. The town is used to strangers coming and going from our place, they won’t look at you twice. And I’ll bring a horse back once I know you’re safe,” Keith continued to ramble, already running through a checklist in his mind to make sure they would have what they needed.

Lance blinked. He even looked toward the others to try and help clear his thoughts. He’d thought that they would be taking care of this together… that… was why they’d been training him, hadn’t it?

“So… we’re sending them home?” Hunk slowly asked, eyes darting from face to face. “I mean… home is safe, but… I thought you meant like across the ocean or something… like really far.”

Lance’s head snapped to stare at Hunk now. He smothered the bit of hurt the comment brought, then sighed just once before Pidge scooted a bit closer.

“Well… there are advantages to both really.” She pointed at Hunk first. “Sending them on a boat would insure that they were safe, especially if Lance does his disappearing trick to get on a boat at random. But then again, we wouldn’t know exactly where they are either and that would make it a lot harder for us to find them later.” Now she turned and pointed at Keith. “Sending them home would be the opposite, we’d know exactly where they are, but it wouldn’t be that hard to track them down there. All of us have been seen with Lance several times. Honestly? It might just be best if we arranged some way to pass messages and he just disappeared them both.” 

Lance turned his frown on Shiro, who so far had not joined in the discussion. 

“But how would we send the messages? I mean, we don’t actually know any of the shorthand Lance uses, and how would we pass them? Normal mail is too easy to trace, and the more obscure ways of passing messages are pretty expensive.”

“That’s true…” Pidge murmured, eyes bright with a new problem to solve. “We could always….”

“Let me decide for myself.” Lance finally stated firmly. His arm was still coiled around Narti, but his tone was cool. He ducked his head a bit, eyes fixed on Narti’s sleeping face, as he slowly ran his fingers over her head. He took a breath, then started talking, his voice low but his tone was firm. 

“I said before, that I could go to the mines, and keep us both there. That they were very difficult to get into because Lady Zethrid doesn’t like anyone that isn’t an unfortunate there, because they tend to try and steal her workers.” He paused then interrupted Shiro before he could speak. “I was told… that we were going to figure this out as a team. So I want….” Lance paused then shook his head, obviously changing his mind. “So... if as a team, you all feel that it would be better for Narti and I to disappear, then we will. But… I will not endanger your home by waiting there. We can find somewhere… else.” 

“No,” Keith bit out. “I don’t want you anywhere that I can’t know for certain you’re safe-”

“Keith, I don’t think anywhere is going to be safe until we deal with the bigger problem here,” Shiro finally cut in.

“Trust me, we’re going to kill the sons of bitches that started this, but Lance you and Narti can’t be anywhere near that fight. At least if you’re at home, if something happens we aren’t far away. I don’t even want you out of my sight, so I need to know you’ll be somewhere safe and comfortable.”

“I see…” Lance chewed on his lower lip for a long moment, before his shoulders drooped. He nodded, just once, then started working his way to his feet, Narti still curled in his arms. “Alright. We.. I’d…” He nodded again. “Alright. We’ll leave in the morning then.”

Keith’s brows pinched together as he clambered up to follow Lance. The response didn’t sit right with Keith, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on why. He barely spared a glance towards his team before letting Lance steal all his attention as he so frequently did. “Here, let me help,” he offered weakly, noticing Narti’s sleep slackened grip on Kova and her book.

Lance turned just a bit so Keith could reach Narti’s things without jostling her too much. “Thank you.” He smiled at Shiro. “I’m sure you all have a lot to plan out, so. Good luck.”

Pidge narrowed her eyes and looked from one to the other, before huffing a bit, but staying silent.

The walk to their room was quiet and stiff, at least that’s how Keith felt. He cradled Narti’s treasures until they were behind their closed door, setting them down as gently as Lance was tucking Narti in. Keith watched him for a moment until he couldn’t stand it any longer. “Lance-”

Lance made a humming sound, then turned, snagging Kova so that when or if Narti woke up, it would be nearby. “Do you need something?”

Keith chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment before asking, “what’s wrong?” He mentally kicked himself. Honestly, what wasn’t wrong right now?

Satisfied that Narti was comfortable, he turned and dropped into the chair near the table. “Would you like a list? There is a lot wrong right now. But, that is just how it is.” Lance shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m angry and taking it out on you.”

Keith understood being angry. If he wasn’t so worried over Lance and Narti, he’d likely be doing the same. “Don’t worry, I’m gonna make them pay for what they’ve done to you and Narti and the innocent people at the Sanctuary,” Keith tried to reassure.

Lance’s smile was a thin wan thing. “I’m sure you will…” He leaned in the chair, hands wedged into his pockets and looked highly uncomfortable. Then he shook his head. “Besides, I should get used to this, right? Waiting for you all to come back.”

Keith frowned, the words causing him to step back as if they’d physically hit him just as unexpectedly. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Lance blinked. “Well, I’ll be spending a lot of time waiting for you all when you are on your jobs. So I should get used to it now. From, what Shiro and Hunk have told me, you all travel a lot, so you’ll be gone more than home, right?”

“What- No, that’s not- I mean, yes, we travel, but you think I would leave you behind?” Keith could feel the joints in his fingers popping from how hard he was now gripping them.

Again, Lance shrugged. “Well, yes. You are this time, so why not next time?”

Keith huffed, his confusion quickly replaced with frustration. “This isn’t the same and you know it.”

“It kind of is, Keith.” Lance stated quietly. “You are leaving me and Narti at your home to keep us safe. I get that. I also understand that you will do it again. I don’t have the skills you do and that makes it dangerous for me to go. So, I can’t. Like I said, I’ll get used to it.” He paused, then looked up, meeting Keith’s eyes. He didn’t sound angry, his voice was quiet but his eyes looked angry.

“Don’t put words in my mouth,” Keith practically growled out in a vain attempt to not wake Narti or involve the rest of the house. “I’ve seen the way you fight, you’re more than capable. But god damnit, Lance, this isn’t just some tracking and information grabbing job, this is someone clearly taking any means necessary to get their hands on you.”

“Exactly.” Lance snapped. “This is someone coming after me, but I get no say in how it’s handled. Instead, I’m shipped off somewhere safe because it makes the rest of you feel better. How do you think I  _ feel _ , Keith? Do you think I’m happy that you all will be going to handle this while I sit somewhere, for  _ my own good _ ? Would you stay behind for your own good, just because Shiro said to?”

Keith opened and closed his mouth a few times, the crease in his brow deepening more each time until sharp, wet eyes looked up at Lance. “You know I wouldn’t, but… I can’t- I can’t just let you waltz into whatever trap they’ll have waiting. I’m scared-” Keith took a shaky breath. “For the first time in my life, I’m scared that I’m going to lose someone I love, and I can’t- I-” Keith shook his head, a pained look on his face.

Lance’s own expression softened before he sighed. “I know, which is why I said that I need to simply get used to it now. Because, that part? Hopefully, it isn’t going to change. Anytime I go with you, there will be a chance that something will happen to me and you will be in the exact same position you are now. So let’s just forget about the whole thing alright? Forget about me being a part of your team because it isn’t going to work.” Again, he offered a thin smile. “I’m sure I can work for Coran, while you all are gone.” His last words were soft again. 

Keith rolled his eyes, tired of this back and forth. “That isn’t what I want. And besides, you’re a perfect addition to the team. I know I won’t be able to protect you from every little thing, but this isn’t a run of the mill side effect of the job.”

Lance held up his hands, then stood. He glanced at Narti for a moment then shook his head. “No. You are right, it isn’t. It’s my life on the line, and yes, it hasn’t been all that great so far, but it’s mine. But I think you forgot something.” He pointed at the small shape in the bed. “It’s also hers. You want to protect me and I understand that. But, I also want to protect her. If I’m at your home, just me, that isn’t much protection. That is practically giving them a target to strike for. Anywhere I am, is where they will be, Keith. So what am I supposed to do about that?”

He wasn’t prepared for that blow, hadn’t really considered it. His plan was to get them somewhere safe and then not have to worry while he let loose on the monsters after Lance. It was supposed to be simple, but here was Lance, not happy with him or the situation and raising points Keith wasn’t prepared to contest. “I- I don’t know…”

Lance raised an eyebrow. “Then I guess that’s something you and your team need to figure out. Because, my options are this… I disappear, like Pidge said. Because if no one can find me, then she’s safe. Or I find somewhere for her to stay, and I go with you. Because then no one will attack her if I am not around. But, you should probably have this discussion with them, and not me.”

“Well, that’s unfortunate because I’m having this discussion with you!” Keith bit the words out, the passive aggressive tone grating on his every nerve. “Be fucking mad at me all you want, I’ll take that over you being dead.”

Lance’s expression went flat. “Fine. Do whatever the hell you want to. But if your stupid plan to keep me safe hurts Narti, I’ll never forgive you. How is that for angry?” He took a breath, then but out. “I need some air.” 

“Stop acting like I don’t care about her safety too. I don’t know what the right answer is, Lance! I’m just trying to keep your dumb ass safe and make sure Narti still has a brother when this is all said and done!”

“Well maybe instead you should worry about something else and let me keep me safe!” Lance spat right back. “I’ve been doing it for years, I can handle it for a while longer. I’m not…” He stopped then took a breath, lowering his voice. “No, I’m not going to yell at you. Just… no.” He swallowed and shoved his hands back into his coat. “Fine, Keith. Do what you want.”

Keith stared at him, eyes glued to his face until the fight had drained out of him. He let out a long suffering sigh and slid down the wall until he was seated on the floor. He lowered his head, fingers gripped tightly in his own hair. He was quiet when he finally spoke. “I want to keep you safe, both of you. I want to protect you, but I can’t force you to do anything, Lance, and I wouldn’t want to… I just… want you to be happy and safe, so at this point, whatever that means, I want you to do that.”

“I understand that. I do, Keith. I do the exact same thing for Narti. But, I also know, that deep down no matter what plans I can make, or ideas that I might have, Narti is always safest with me. Maybe we would be safest with you.” Lance sighed, then shook his head. “But, it’s a team decision. So it doesn’t matter what I want, or what you want. They all agreed. So no matter how much I want to go and handle these people with my own hands and weapon, I can’t. Just like, you can’t keep us safe when you aren’t there. So what do we do?”

Keith slowly stood, his eyes still on the floor as he opened the door. “We tell Shiro there’s been a change of plans,” he muttered, walking out into the hall.

Lance blinked, then with a glance at Narti, chased after Keith. He caught him at the top of the stairs and froze. His hand came up and he reached for Keith but stopped just before his hand made contact. He bit his lip hard, then shook his head. Something about Keith’s tone felt off, and Lance immediately started kicking himself for yelling at Keith in the first place. They’d just gotten over one argument and here Lance was starting another. “I… No.”

He curled his fists and said it again a bit louder. “No, Keith. I’ll figure out something else. I… shouldn’t have argued.”

Keith turned a little awkwardly on the stairs. “What-” He looked back at Lance. 

Lance bit his lip hard enough he was positive he drew blood. “I… I will figure something else out.” He stated again, more firmly this time. “I’ll see if I can’t find someone to look after Narti while you all are gone. I.. shouldn’t have argued.. Because you’re right. I shouldn’t be there, because you all will need to look after yourselves instead of worrying about me… and..” Lance took a small step back, shoulders hunching a bit. “If…” He swallowed, “if winning a fight means that you sound like that, then I don’t want to win any. I’ll go out tomorrow and find something else.”

Keith frowned, his hand striking out to grab Lance’s wrist and drag him back into their room. “I’m not upset about losing a fight you beautiful idiot! I’m upset because I can’t just make this all go away and that you and Narti are even in this position to begin with. I’m upset because I can’t make you see how scared I am and because I’m not good enough, I don’t know what the right things to say and do are, but if you think I don’t want you by my side, watching my back until we’re both too old to do this job anymore, then I’m clearly not doing or saying them.”

This had to be the first time that Lance had ever been insulted and complemented in the same breath. That was confusing enough, but to follow that by hearing that what he’d said before made Keith feel the exact same way Lance did, only made it worse. “I’m… sorry.” He frowned, because those words didn’t mean a damn thing, not really. “I.. didn’t mean to make you feel that way…” He curled the fingers of his free hand tightly, thinking over what Keith had said. “I don’t understand how scared you are, you’re right. I’m… not sure that I can understand, because… I don’t have to worry about that with you. I.. I know that you can handle anything. But… I… can understand in a way what you mean, about not feeling good enough. I.. felt the same way when you, Pidge and Hunk started talking about sending me into hiding.”

He looked down, unable to meet Keith’s eyes, instead focusing on Keith’s fingers curled around his wrist. “I don’t.. Want to make you worried or scared. I’ll… I’ll figure something else out so you won’t have to worry. No matter how much I want to be there with you, it.. Isn’t worth it, if all it does it make you unhappy…”

Keith shook his head. “I hate the idea of you being too far away, and not knowing where you are would be even worse. And as much as my gut wants to hide you away until this is over, I don’t want you growing to hate me because I’m an overbearing, controlling asshole. Like I said before, I can’t and I won’t keep you from doing what you want. You’re strong and smart and powerful, and I’d be lucky to have you fighting by my side.” He meant it, but that didn’t stop his voice from cracking.

Lance chewed on his lip some more, worrying at the tear there with his teeth. The odd crack in Keith’s voice only made him feel worse. He started shaking his head, frantically trying to think of something, anything that would make Keith’s worries go away. Lance… didn’t want to lose Keith over something like this. He tried arguing his point, but that only made it worse, then he tried backing down and that didn’t help either. He didn’t know what to do to fix this. 

His shoulders slumped and his head slowly started to duck down. “I.. know that you aren’t trying to be controlling… I never thought you were.. I thought…” He shook his head, and abruptly cut himself off. He needed to be fixing this not dumping more problems out there. “I’m sorry. I was… I’m… I’m just still angry and upset about earlier… at the Sanctuary. I’ll…” He slowly started pulling his hand free, not really wanting to break the contact but uncomfortable with the comfort it was giving him when he wasn’t doing anything to help Keith feel better. “Just… Just tell me what you need me to do. I’ll do it.” Lance hoped his words didn’t actually sound as panicky as he thought they did. He took a breath and barreled ahead. “If… you want me and Narti to wait at your home, we will. If you want… me to leave her somewhere else, then I will.” Lance took a sharp breath and raised his head, finally meeting Keith eyes. “If you want me to pick a place and go into hiding, so that only you and I know where to find me, then I will. Just… tell me how to fix this, Keith…  _ Please _ ?”

Keith stared unblinkingly at Lance. His heart ached as he watched Lance fall apart. The anger and fear fell from his shoulders like a shed skin. “Do what feels right.” It seemed so simple as the words fell from his lips. “I trust you, Lance, and I know how strong you are and how brave and resilient you and Narti can be. Whatever you decide to do, I support it.” He reached back out to brush his fingers against the hand Lance had pulled away. “As much as I hate to admit it, this isn’t truly my battle. If you want to fight, we fight. If you want to run, we run. As long as I get to be by your side, whatever lets us sleep easy and safe at night, I’ll follow you anywhere. Into the fray or to the ends of the earth.”

Part of Lance, the one that practically dissolved into water every time Keith talked to him like that, melted and was perfectly willing to take that last suggestion. To simply grab Keith and Narti and run, disappear and go into hiding. But the larger part of him, the part that would never take Keith away from his family rebelled. He sighed, his whole body slumping. “I…” He was torn, wanting to go with his instinct but like he’d said before it wasn’t just his decision. When he finally looked up, he was frowning. “I want… to go with you. I want… to stay at your side. But Keith, everyone else wants me to run and hide. I know I’m not used to a team but…” He shook his head. “I can’t argue anymore. Pidge and Hunk were pretty clear on their choice and Shiro didn’t say anything, so I guess I’m going to hide.”

Sharp eyes peeked out from behind his dark fringe. “Then we tell them we’re going to fight. All of us.”

Lance blinked. “Is it really that simple?” He couldn’t actually wrap his mind around that. “We just tell them? They… won’t be mad that we’re disagreeing? Or that we aren’t… doing what they want?” He didn’t sound angry or upset anymore, simply confused. “I thought… that if the team decided then that was it…?”

“I don’t know if you forgot, but you’re a part of this team, and so am I. We come to decisions together. You think Pidge doesn’t occasionally disagree with what Shiro suggests? Do you think I just blindly follow what the others want? Different ideas and personalities coming together to make a plan is what makes us so strong.”

“That… makes sense…” Lance mumbled. He didn’t exactly know much about teams or how they worked. What he knew was, that majority ruled and so had assumed it was over and done with. “I’m still sorry.”

Keith shook his head, a small smile directed at Lance. “I’ll be honest, there’s still a part of me that just wants to grab you and Narti and run, but I’ll be the first to understand the need to fight. And if we take down the people behind this, I’ll know you’re both safe for good, and no else will get caught in the crossfire.”

That was… understandable. “I.. am starting to understand that. There’s a part of me that wants to take her away so no one can harm her too… that’s… part of why I kept her with Slav for so long. But… she loves you.” It was much easier to admit that than it was to include himself still, but he was working on it. “She likes Hunk and Shiro. I want, her to be able to see her new family freely, and… she can’t if I don’t fight for it.”

Keith nodded. “Then we fight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> <3 Holly


	26. Caesura

By the time Keith and Lance made it back downstairs, Lance felt a lot more ready to stand up to the team about his decision. A tiny part of that was due to being able to convince Keith, without any bloodshed or without a loud explosive break up. The rest was due to how Keith had stopped him at their door and spent several minutes with them both expressing apologies for the fight in non-verbal ways.  ****  
** **

Still, Lance’s feet settled on the floor and he took a sharp breath before announcing. “I’m going out tomorrow to build a gun. So we should have a plan before then so we can leave.” He still couldn’t quite manage to meet anyone’s eyes, but it was progress so he counted it as a win.  ****  
** **

Shiro’s head whipped up from where he was pouring over maps and plans. “W-what?” ****  
** **

“Lance is going with us,” Keith added, leaving little room for argument. ****  
** **

Shiro looked between the two of them. He straightened, glancing around at the rest of the team before training his eyes back on Lance and Keith. “That’s a serious decision, Lance…” He nodded once. “We’ll need to rework our plans.” He motioned for the two to come over to the table. Keith shot Lance a quick smile. ****  
** **

Pidge wasted no time in yanking Lance down to her level and glaring at him. “Why didn’t you tell me about this gun? What’s it’s ammunition capability? Barrel size? Will it be a handgun or a long rifle?” ****  
** **

Hunk chuckled at Lance’s face. “Pidge usually does the maintenance on Shiro’s guns.” ****  
** **

“Uh… a handgun. But.. I’m not sure about everything else yet…. I’ll know tomorrow.” ****  
** **

“Alright, tomorrow, Lance, you and Pidge can go take care of that. Hunk, go with them, I’m going to have you pick up some things.” He smoothed out the map in front of him. “The trek to Galra Town isn’t especially hard, but we’re all aware of the kind of people we’d be likely to run into, so we’ll need to be smart about this. Even more so since we know people are looking for Lance. First course of action is to locate Zarkon and Honerva.” Shiro looked up, his face set into hard lines. “And then, we take them down.” ****  
** **

“Do you think they are working together, or separate?” Hunk wondered, worry clouding his face. “I mean, we haven’t found anything to suggest that they are, but they both seem to be after the same thing…” ****  
** **

“But why would a slave trader and a skilled researcher team up? That sounds pretty ridiculous…” Pidge rolled her eyes.  ****  
** **

“Does that matter?” Lance asked. ****  
** **

“Of course it matters. The why is always important Lance.” Pidge scowled. “I don’t know about this Zarkon, but Lady Honerva is brilliant. Allura and I have looked at a good amount of her research and she has managed to convince several benefactors that her ideas have merit. She even held volunteer trials trying to transfer one person’s essence to another. Most of them died, yes, but that didn’t even slow her down. From what we’ve been able to find, she’s got a lot of resources and she’s focused on making this work. I know scientists and if she thinks having you will get her what she needs, then she’ll do what she has to in order to get you.” ****  
** **

“I think they may have more to do with each other than we initially thought,” Shiro interjected. “My contact in town has been keeping his eyes out for anything related to Zarkon. It’s common knowledge that he deals in slave trading, the corrupt authorities in Galra Town turn a blind eye to his more devious actions. It’s been reported that every now and again one of the slaves he’s sold off never makes it to the purchaser, they seem to vanish. Zarkon has enough money to pay off anyone that may not be too happy about the situation, so nothing has really come of it. However bodies have started showing up and it’s rumored that the names of these people have all been in Zarkon’s leger at one point or another.” ****  
** **

“But what does that have to do with Honerva,” Keith asked, his hands gripped tightly to the table edge. ****  
** **

“They aren’t natural deaths, but they aren’t your average murder or accident either. There are strange markings, limbs missing-” The fingers of Shiro’s prosthetic twitched minutely, the muscles of his jaw clenching briefly. “-An almost medical precision to the incisions. The kinds the goons Zarkon seems to employ wouldn’t be capable of.” ****  
** **

“But, why are we just now hearing about it?” Hunk growled. He hated slavers. “I know that it’s common practice to keep details and such out of the public but murders still are usually known about.” ****  
** **

“They’re probably Unfortunates.” Lance stated.  ****  
** **

Hunk blinked but Lance carried on in the same factual tone of voice.  ****  
** **

“The only reason why regular people don’t like slavers is because they will take anyone. No one likes to be worried that someone will steal them away to be nothing more than a possession. But, if the slavers stopped that and only went after Unfortunates then no one would really care.” He shrugged. “So this Zarkon, probably makes sure that anyone that is murdered is an Unfortunate so that no one will investigate properly.” ****  
** **

Shiro nodded. “That’s definitely seems to be the case. A handful of people will come to collect the body, but they never release them. According to my contact, they burn them all once discovered. A couple of hunters that have been through the area confirmed that despite the bizarre wounds on them, those are never the cause of death. No one seems to be able to agree on what exactly is though.” ****  
** **

“So are you saying that Honerva is doing something to these people.” Keith stepped closer to Lance, a renewed horror churning in his gut knowing they were trying to get their hands on him. ****  
** **

Hunk’s earlier scowl had faded into a worried expression, while Pidge was pouring over papers.  ****  
** **

“I don’t think we can know that for certain unless we can either see her actual research notes, or see her actually using her procedure. The things Allura found don’t actually go into any detail. It’s common practice for scientists to keep their practices to themselves during testing to insure their work isn’t stolen.” She finally looked up, eyes dark with anger. “But honestly? I’m not so worried about her as I am about Zarkon.” ****  
** **

Most of this was honestly beyond Lance’s ability to understand, even dumbed down like it was. But he did figure out that neither of these people are exactly good. “Why is that?” He’d shoved his worry and his urge to reach out to Keith down, and kept his expression as blank as possible. “If her experiments are killing people, isn’t she the larger threat?” ****  
** **

“Not exactly. Because Honerva isn’t going to actually hunt you down. She’s going to stay where she is comfortable, running her tests and looking over her results. Zarkon is the one with lackeys, that likely have already come after you. So he’s really the bigger of the two threats.” ****  
** **

“So we should focus on him for now, and after he’s handled, then we can worry about Honerva.” Hunk stated, looking at Shiro for confirmation.  ****  
** **

“All the more reason to build my gun, quickly….” Lance muttered, eyes darting from person to person. He’d take Hunk out later, find a barrel that would work for what he needed. Then.. he really needed to decide what to do with Narti. He shook his head and focused back on the conversation. “I’m not really surprised that the officials in Galra Town have been looking the other way. Considering the way even regular people are treated, not to mention the hunts, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he’d made deals with everyone that…” He searched for the words. “Has a position of power?” ****  
** **

Keith frowned at the mention of the hunts, remembering the horrible things Lance had mentioned happening in the Galra Town area. He hated the way this was starting to sound even more. They would have to be even more on their guard than ever before. “We planning to move at night?” He turned to Shiro. ****  
** **

“I think that’s the best idea. We can spend tomorrow prepping and planning, try and get a little sleep and then set out the next night. I don’t want to chance anyone noticing us leaving here or spotting us along the way.” ****  
** **

Keith nodded, eyes fixed on the map on the table. He pointed along a branching creek that ran mostly parallel to the road between there and Galra Town, if he knew Shiro, he knew that would be the path he was considering, he quirked an eyebrow towards him and Shiro nodded, tracing a winding path with his finger. ****  
** **

“Um…” Hunk fidgeted a bit from his spot near Pidge. “I’ve never been to Galra Town, and I’ve heard about the living conditions… but.. What hunts?” ****  
** **

When the answer came, Lance’s voice was soft, much like when he was talking to Narti. “There are some places that are like Arus, Hunk. That tend to lean more toward ignoring those they cast out. There are some like Balmera, although they are few and far between.” Here Lance smiled softly. “Where it doesn’t matter who you are, but what you can do. Then, there are places like Galra. Where people gather in the streets, armed with knives or boards, bits of chains, anything easy, and they cover the streets. Any Unfortunate is fair game, Hunk. Old, young, male female, even  _ children _ .” His voice grew cold. “They chase them through the streets, eventually catching and either outright killing or beating them so badly that they usually die anyway.” ****  
** **

Lance shook his head and stated pointedly.  “We  _ don’t  _ mention Galra to Narti.”  ****  
** **

For a long moment the room was completely silent, then a loud sniff from Hunk filled the room. The man was standing there, one hand curled around Pidge’s shoulder, tears in his eyes. Pidge however, looked very tense, shoulders tight and her face tilted up so the lamp light glinted off her glasses, hiding her eyes ****  
** **

Keith finally broke and reached for Lance’s hand. Shiro cleared his throat, and Keith could see the question itching away at him, but he tamped it down and breathed a heavy sigh. “Tomorrow is going to be a long day. Let’s get some rest while we can.”  ****  
** **

Keith could hear the others already grumbling about how much they’d miss the beds there at Coran’s as he walked Lance back to their room. As soon as they’d walked in, he dropped Lance’s hand to dig around in his pack. He pulled free a small drawstring bag and put it into Lance’s hands, the coins within jingling as he did so. ****  
** **

Confused, Lance looked at the little bag, then up at Keith. His head tilted slightly. “What’s this for?”  ****  
** **

Keith’s embarrassment morphed into a bittersweet smile, his eyes not quite meeting Lance’s. “I owe you… You traded so much of what you had for information for me, and not even for a good reason… So, this should cover everything you traded and hopefully everything else you need.” ****  
** **

Lance sputtered, and tried to shove the bag back at Keith. “No, absolutely not! You already bought me my parts back! I’m not taking anything else!” ****  
** **

“Lance, take it.” He pushed gently against Lance’s outstretched hand. “I watched you trade everything on you for me, just, let me give back. Besides, this is important to you, and what you need isn’t going to come cheap.” ****  
** **

Lance immediately tucked his lip between his teeth. “But…” He paused, thinking back to earlier and their fight. “I don’t understand.” He started over. “You paid me back already, you helped me get clothes and the gun parts, and even a coat for Narti. Keith… you don’t  _ owe  _ me for anything.” ****  
** **

Keith shrugged, placing a quick kiss to the corner of Lance’s mouth as he passed on his way to the bed, kicking his boots off as he went. “Fine, then consider it me helping.” ****  
** **

Lance looked down at the bag, then back at Keith again, and abruptly held out his empty hand. “Split it.” He ignored the look Keith had and carried on. “Split it, Keith. I’m not taking all of it, so I’ll let you help but you keep half.” ****  
** **

Keith flopped back onto the bed making sure he left a Lance sized gap between him and Narti, a groan escaping his lips. “I can’t, I’m sleeping, what am I gonna do with money in bed, Lance? Just keep it.”  ****  
** **

The corner of Lance’s mouth twitched. “Do you not realize how much money is actually spent on being in bed, Keith?” He let his grin grow a little as he started splitting the coins himself. “You pay to sleep in inns, you pay for bedding and the actual wood to build it… Some people pay an absurd amount to share specific beds.” He closed the pouch again and dropped it on Keith’s thigh.  ****  
** **

“Ah, well then I definitely owe you. You should just keep all of my money, since it’s been entirely my pleasure sharing a bed with you,” he teased, opening one eye to peek at Lance. ****  
** **

“Really…. And here I was thinking I should be paying you.” Lance returned, settling the coins in his pocket before laying his coat down, and settling on the bed with more care than Keith had. He curled a bit around Narti, but pulled Keith’s arm so it was over them both.  ****  
** **

Keith hummed as he settled behind him, placing a kiss to the back of his neck. “You think it pays better?” He laughed as he wiggled a little closer. “Suppose it doesn’t matter, I wouldn’t want to share a bed with anyone else,” he murmured sleepily into Lance’s shoulders. ****  
** **

…. ****  
** **

The next morning, Keith woke to voices in the hall. He was prepared to burrow his face further into Lance’s warm back, but Pidge’s raising voice cut through the quiet like one of his knives. Lance was still breathing evenly in his arms, looking so at peace, Keith couldn’t bare the thought of him being so rudely awoken.  ****  
** **

He gently pulled his arms free and untangled their legs, pressing a barely there kiss to Lance’s hair. He stumbled as quietly as he could in his sleepy haze to the door. As it swung open, the voices stopped short and Keith was met with a frozen Pidge and Shiro. ****  
** **

“What…” Keith yawned, rubbing at his eyes. “Is going on? People are trying to sleep.” ****  
** **

Shiro had the audacity to look sheepish. “Sorry, Keith, we were uh-“ ****  
** **

Keith waited but no further explanation came. Pidge snorted. “He was afraid to wake you up.” ****  
** **

“I was not afraid,” Shiro grumped. ****  
** **

“Oh no? Then why were standing outside of their door for a solid fifteen minutes before I said anything?” ****  
** **

Shiro blushed a bit. “I was waiting patiently-“ ****  
** **

Pidge laughed. “You’d have been waiting a while!” ****  
** **

Keith held up his hand as the two started to bicker again. They quickly stopped speaking. “Shiro why are you standing outside our door?” ****  
** **

Pidge snickered and Shiro shot her a look. When Keith cleared his throat, Shiro looked into the middle distance and sighed. “You know I love you, and I support you and Lance in whatever it is you’re doing, well not everything- I mean-“ Shiro shook his head. “You know what I mean. I think you’re good for each other and he clearly makes you happy. I’m just… trying to get used to it? To you being with someone that is. So, you know, if I overstep or I...interrupt…” Shiro blushed furiously, his nose wrinkling a bit. “I don’t mean to. I’m just used to you always being around.” ****  
** **

Keith felt a warmth in his chest. A smile started to tug on his lips, and he considered pulling Shiro into a hug, but Pidge’s snickers pulled his attention. ****  
** **

“You just didn’t want another eye full.” ****  
** **

“Pidge!” ****  
** **

Keith groaned as the two started at it again. “It’s too early for this. If you two wake up Lance, I’m gonna sic Hunk on you,” he said as he started to let himself back into the room. ****  
** **

“Wait Keith, I actually did need something,” Shiro said, holding a hand over Pidge’s mouth. “I could use your help with planning our next steps.” ****  
** **

Pidge squirmed free. “Yeah, and Hunk and I are ready to go into town whenever Lance gets up. Don’t let your bad habits rub off on him.” ****  
** **

Keith glared. “Alright, I guess let me wake him up and-“ ****  
** **

“It’s fine, I think I can handle waking up sleeping beauty,” Pidge teased, stepping toward the room. ****  
** **

“Great, I could really use your help,” Shiro added, turning Keith towards the stairs. “Allura has some more up to date maps at her place, we may need to make a quick trip over.” ****  
** **

“Oh, uh alright.” Keith spared one last glance over his shoulder before he turned the corner. ****  
** **

Pidge took a moment to roll her eyes. Keith had always been a little overprotective, but that was nothing compared to how he was with Lance and Narti. In a way, theoretically, Pidge supposed she could understand. She was a little bit protective of her team and certainly Hunk, and… she could admit to herself at least… that Narti and Lance were slightly cute when they were curled up sleeping.  ****  
** **

Pidge had just opened her mouth to yell Lance awake, when something flashed near her head and she flinched back, the sound dying in her throat, as her eyes focused first on the thin knife that was still vibrating slightly from where it was embedded in the doorframe, then on Lance, who was crouched protectively over Narti, with eyes that were slowly widening.  ****  
** **

“Oh  _ shit _ . Pidge! Are you alright? I’m so sorry! I had no idea it was you!  _ Shit _ !” Despite the rapid words, Lance didn’t make a single move away from Narti.  ****  
** **

Pidge took a second. Just a single second to process what happened before she was off. “You jackass!! What the hell were you  _ thinking _ , throwing knives at me! Not even  _ Keith  _ does that!!!” ****  
** **

“You were the one that snuck into the room!” Lance snapped right back. “Who the  _ hell  _ sneaks into a room after what happened  _ yesterday _ ??” Even as he argued, Lance drew Narti up into his arms, and he got off the bed and stared down Pidge. ****  
** **

Pidge opened her mouth then froze. “Oh.” Abruptly most of her anger faded. “I didn’t think about that.” She wasn’t used to actually surprising her team, since they were all so used to her sneaking around.  ****  
** **

Lance took a breath, and slowly let it out. “I’m sorry… I’m.. just on edge after yesterday, especially with Narti. I’m very sorry I threw a knife at you.” ****  
** **

Well shit, it wasn’t right for him to make her feel bad. “Uh.. yeah, it’s okay…” Pidge awkwardly rubbed at the bridge of her nose. “Look, Hunk’s all ready to go into town so… let’s go and do that and just.. Forget this happened alright?” ****  
** **

A tiny smile was her answer. ****  
** **

…. ****  
** **

“You still look angry enough to breathe fire.” Pidge’s statement was delivered flatly, and Lance directed his glare from the table to her face.  ****  
** **

“I’ve told you before fire is not my friend.” He turned away, pointedly, eyes landing on Narti, who was sitting on the floor with Kova, listening while Coran told her a story.  ****  
** **

“Listen,” Pidge dropped into a chair and leaned forward. “I’m sorry.” ****  
** **

Lance jerked his eyes from Narti to stare at Pidge. He barely caught Hunk turning around to look as well. “What?” ****  
** **

Hunk shuffled a bit closer, and dropped into his own chair when Pidge glared but repeated herself.  ****  
** **

“I said, I’m sorry. I know you are angry, and that you should be. I’m bad at offering any kind of comfort that doesn’t involve threats or sarcasm. I know that isn’t what you need right now. So what can I do to help?” ****  
** **

“What can  _ we  _ do to help?” Hunk stressed.  ****  
** **

Lance let his eyes drift back to the table, still uncomfortable asking for help. “You’re already helping….” Absently, his fingers started toying with the little bag of parts. Thanks to Hunk and Pidge, Lance had gotten the last piece he needed, and now.. Now, he just needed to go and build it. ****  
** **

Pidge frowned but Hunk settled his hand on her shoulder, shaking his head.  ****  
** **

“I know that, but what happened at the Sanctuary is still bothering you. You’re worried and I understand that, so what can we do to help take some of that weight from you?”  ****  
** **

Pidge breathed out a sigh, thankful that there was at least one person in this team that wasn’t completely emotionally useless.  ****  
** **

Lance chewed on his lip, as his shoulders slowly hunched up. “I.. don’t think you can. I’m just going to have to accept that there isn’t a safe place for her anymore and do my best to keep an eye on her.” ****  
** **

“You aren’t… planning on taking her with you when we leave, are you?” Hunk breathed the words like they were forbidden. ****  
** **

“I don’t really have much of a choice. I was originally intending to have Slav watch her, as she’s used to him and he would keep her safe, but he’s hurt. Not to mention, she barely listened to him, if I leave her with someone she doesn’t trust? She’ll just find a way to try and follow us anyway. Even if I leave her at your home, she won’t really be safe there...”  ****  
** **

Pidge had a brief moment of pride for Narti, impressed at her willingness to do what she wanted, unless Lance told her otherwise. Honestly it reminded Pidge a lot of herself as a child. “Alright… I can understand that, but Lance… if we go to Galra Town, we aren’t going to be able to look after her…. Wouldn’t it be better to leave her here with Coran and Allura?” ****  
** **

Lance was shaking his head almost immediately. “I can’t do that Pidge. It wouldn’t be fair to any of them. It wasn’t Coran or Allura’s choice to take her in, and it isn’t their responsibility to keep her safe. It’s mine. Not to mention, I can’t risk someone coming after them to get to her. It’s… for the best this way… but…” He sighed, then started to stand. “I understand that she’ll be in the way so….” ****  
** **

After a moment of Lance standing still next to the table, eyes on Narti. Hunk finally prodded him. “So?” ****  
** **

“So, I think it will work out better if we all just split up from here. There’s another Unfortunate town closer to Galra, and they do a surprisingly good job of staying hidden, given that Garla hunt them like sport… so I could probably trade for some protection there…” He couldn’t stop the frown that crossed his face. They tended to be rather vicious in Patrul. But it would be similar enough for Narti that she should behave. ****  
** **

Pidge glanced at Coran who was still in the midst of telling his story, and leaned closer to Lance. “Do you really want to do that?” ****  
** **

“Pidge!”  ****  
** **

“Pidge.” Lance’s voice was much quieter than Hunk’s had been. “I will do whatever I need to in order to keep her safe. It doesn’t matter what the end result is, as long as she is safe.”  ****  
** **

Pidge settled back into her chair, unsure of how to respond in the face of such devotion. She knew Hunk loved her, she saw it every single time he smiled at her in his soft sweet way. She knew Keith loved Lance, only a blind man couldn’t see that, but those were different to the devotion that Lance had for Narti. It was like, he was ensuring that she would never suffer like he had and that broke part of what little heart Pidge had.  ****  
** **

“I think… that if she will follow you from here, that she would do the same from there…And… with what you said before… about hunts? I don’t really want her to be anywhere near Galra Town” Hunk reasoned, his voice gentle. “But, I can also see how Coran acts like an uncle to Narti as much as he does to Allura. Not to mention, I heard Allura telling Shiro about how she wanted to take both you and Narti out and get her proper clothes, because she’s always wanted to go shopping for a little girl.” Hunk shifted and settled more in the chair, eyes fixed on Lance’s shocked face. “You made us love her, Lance, is it really such a surprise that they do too?”  ****  
** **

He swallowed, and turned to face the wall, uncomfortable. “It.. is.. But.. not at the same time… I mean.. I can’t imagine anyone not loving her, but… if that was the case, she wouldn’t be with me, so I…” ****  
** **

Pidge blinked, then cleared her throat. “Well, we do. All of us do. So talk to them, let her stay here, where she’s safe with people who love her. While we make sure you can stay with her.”  ****  
** **

Lance slowly nodded, “alright….”  ****  
** **

…. ****  
** **

When Keith and Shiro arrived back at Coran’s house, they walked right into the middle of a face off. Lance was on one side, the small bag of parts in his hand while Narti stood across from him. Her eyes were wide and her pout was in full force.  ****  
** **

Hunk and Pidge were both staring watching the scene like it was one of their investigation sites, while Coran smiled indulgently from his own door. ****  
** **

Lance knelt, bringing himself down to Narti’s level and ignoring the rest. “I have to go out for a little while, so I need you to stay here for me.” He placed his hand on the top of her head, keeping his eyes fixed on hers, and pointedly ignoring her pout. He hated being the reason for her unhappiness, but she simply couldn’t come with him, not this time. “They’ll look after you until I get back.” He dropped his tone, voice growing softer and more gentle. “Narti.” ****  
** **

She shook her head several times, and her arms were curled tightly around Kova. Her face dropped and she buried it in between the cat’s ears.  ****  
** **

“Narti.” Lance smoothed his fingers in her hair. For a few ticks, he knelt there, smiling down until she raised her head again. “I need you here, my Shroud….” He ducked his head a bit more and whispered something to her.  ****  
** **

Narti frowned, her pout growing. Her face scrunched up but she nodded, looking unhappy. Curling her arms around Lance’s shoulder, she hid her face for a moment before squeezing a little. ****  
** **

Lance kept the hug short, before he glanced up at Shiro, then to Keith. “I’ll be back later.” ****  
** **

“I don’t like you being anywhere without at least one of us.” Shiro started, uncomfortable. ****  
** **

“I know, but you can’t go with me, this time.” He glanced at Keith, then back to Shiro, meaningfully. “I’ll be safe, no one can get to me where I’m going, I promise.” Lance straightened, and raised the little bag. “But this one… I need to do by myself.” ****  
** **

The team still seemed wary, but after a moment, they returned to what they were doing before. That didn’t stop Keith from feeling eyes on him as he walked towards Lance. An unexpected bravado washed over him knowing that the team all knew about him and Lance, and they were supportive, happy even. He only moderately blushed when he placed a chaste kiss to the other’s lips. “Be safe and I’ll see you soon?” ****  
** **

The soft, sweet gesture brought a flush to Lance’s cheeks, but he wasn't strong enough to resist the allure of one of Keith’s kisses. His answering smile was equally soft.  ****  
** **

“Of course… By dinner, I promise.” He ruffled Narti’s hair one last time and vanished.  ****  
** **

Which left a small girl staring at them over the stuffed ears of her cat. ****  
** **

Keith smiled down at Narti, making silly faces as he gestured back towards the house. “Come on, Little One, why don’t we go find something to do while we wait for Lance to come home?” ****  
** **

Despite a reluctant look at where Lance had been, and a slightly bigger frown at the house, Narti slowly came forward and curled her fingers into Keith’s pant leg. ****  
** **

By the time Coran had ordered them to cease and desist, Keith had chased Narti through every room of the house, roaring and growing and chirping like her dinosaur book described. Then of course, Narti and Kova had chased him. They may have upended a couple chairs, shattered an old flower pot and unmade every bed they’d come across. With Coran’s shouts echoing behind them, Keith had scooped Narti up and dashed out of the house. ****  
** **

“We better let Shiro watch you for a bit before Coran kicks me out of the house,” he wheezed. ****  
** **

Shiro was hanging clothes on the line, sleeves wet from where he had been scrubbing. Keith caught his breath as they approached. Shiro waved as they caught his eye. “Come to help?” ****  
** **

“Not really. Can Narti hang out with you while I go calm Coran down and clean up after us?” ****  
** **

“Of course,” Shiro said smiling down at Narti. “Do you know how to hang clothes?” ****  
** **

Narti shook her head, hiding behind Kova. ****  
** **

“Well, come here and I’ll teach you.” Shiro offered out his hand and Narti took it cautiously. ****  
** **

As soon as her hand was within his, Shiro swung Narti through the air and up onto his shoulders. Peels of laughter filled the air as Keith headed back towards the house. Shiro showed Narti how to hang wet laundry, swinging her around and letting her climb on him between each new item of clothing and sheet. He was tossing her up into the air, the empty basket forgotten, when Keith stuck his head out a window. ****  
** **

“Shiro, Coran received word from a old friend that might have some information for us.” ****  
** **

Shiro caught Narti with a whump of air as she hit against his chest. “Be right there,” he called. He set Narti down and stretched, popping his joints and rubbing at the tender spots. It wasn’t everyday that he threw a small person around. He took Narti’s hand and led her inside. As they rounded the corner, he spotted Pidge. “Hey, Pidge, can you keep Narti entertained for awhile?” ****  
** **

Pidge scowled and Narti immediately mimicked it. Pidge opened her mouth to protest but Shiro’s look silenced the words. “Of course.” She smiled at the girl who hid behind Kova. “I can always use an assistant. Do you want to try Narti?” ****  
** **

She made a face at the pieces strewn all over the table but shuffled out from her spot next to Shiro and stood near the end of the table, one hand tugging lightly on one of Kova’s ears. ****  
** **

Pidge kept her smile until Shiro had left, before she blew out a long sigh. Pidge wasn’t good with kids. She liked Narti fine, had even admitted, in a roundabout way, that she loved the girl, but Pidge had absolutely no idea how to entertain her like Lance and Keith seemed to.  ****  
** **

“Alright Narti. I’m going to build a cool machine, and you are going to help me. Then, we can show everyone it later, sound good?” ****  
** **

Narti shrugged, but shifted a little closer, so that she could see the parts easier.  ****  
** **

For several minutes, Pidge lost herself in her work, absently putting each coil and gear carefully in place. Then she blinked, and looked up, fingers curled around one of her tools. Hadn’t that tool been on the other side of the table before? ****  
** **

Pulled from her focus Pidge looked up and her jaw dropped. Every single piece that had been scattered across the table was now within easy reach. All the gears were together, her tools were neatly in a row and even her piles of wires were now coiled neatly.  ****  
** **

Her shocked eyes lanced on Narti, who was using Kova to push some metal pieces into a pile. Abruptly, they both froze, Pidge still in shock and Narti staring at Pidge.  ****  
** **

“Oh my God. You are the best assistant, ever!” Pidge finally broke the awkward staring to cheer loudly. “Wait until I tell Lance about this. He’s going to hear all about how much work you saved me and you can help me on my projects anytime!” ****  
** **

Narti broke into a shy smile, and using Kova, nudged the piles just a little bit closer.  ****  
** **

When Hunk showed up, having spent a very long time listening to Coran talk about some of the… stranger things the man had eaten, and after making a proper lunch for everyone, he found Pidge half-way finished with her project, and Narti hovering near her shoulder, a gear in one hand and a bit of wire in the other.  ****  
** **

“Looks like it’s coming along well.”  ****  
** **

“That Hunk, is because I have the best assistant. She is even better than you.” ****  
** **

Hunk mock frowned, but his eyes were fixed on the way Narti ducked her head and smiled at the words. It was honestly adorable. “I’m hurt. I thought we had something special Pidge.” He sniffed loudly, then turned his face away to hide his smile. “I guess that since you’ve replaced me with Narti, that I’m just going to have to do the same. Narti, do you want to come with me and be the very first to try my brand new pie?” He ignored the scandalized gasp from Pidge. “I want to make sure it’s just perfect for when the others get back, and I know Lance will trust your opinion the most.”  ****  
** **

Pidge hid her own smile at the way Narti grinned at the words and darted around the table to take Hunk’s hand. She liked seeing Narti smile shyly up at Hunk, who really was too sweet for his own good.  ****  
** **

Hunk’s pie was a complete success, based on the two pieces that Narti eventually ate. Much like Lance, she tended to study and poke at her food before ever trying it, but her wide grin and the way she pretended to feed Kova as well, warmed his heart. Hunk couldn’t wait to tell Lance all about it later.  ****  
** **

He lost two hours playing hide and seek with the girl, even laughing when she would leave Kova in one spot and hide in another. He’d just finished counting for the last round before dinner, when he heard a voice call out both their names.  ****  
** **

“I’m in the dining room, Keith!” He pretended not to see Narti scoot a bit more under the table, and walked toward the hall. “We’re playing hide and seek and Narti is very good at it.” Hunk winked when Keith came into view and finally added. “I have no idea where she could be. ****  
** **

“Hmmm,” Keith feigned innocence. “Well, I spotted Kova over by the chair… I guess Narti left us in the dust to go be an explorer.” Keith shrugged, flopping down onto the couch. “What are we going to tell Lance?...I’d like to stake my claim on her dinosaur book and I’ll go ahead and snag Kova for Lance,” he said picking the stuffed animal off the floor just as Narti came rushing out from under the table, a look of mild distress, her hands grabbing at Keith. “Oh my goodness, she’s returned!” ****  
** **

Narti frowned up at Keith, her brow furrowed as she pointed at the table. “Oh, is that where you were?” He laughed when she made a face at him. “Well since you’re back, I suppose you can have Kova back. Lance won’t know better anyway. But the book, I don’t know, I was really looking forward to it. ****  
** **

Narti’s hands waved back and forth, her mouth open wide in shock as she shook her head. “Oh alright,” Keith conceded. “But will you at least let me read from it?” ****  
** **

Narti considered for a moment, long enough that Keith was starting to wonder if he’d gone too far and she would tell him no, but she nodded and jumped off his lap, attempting to pull him from his seat. “What, right now?” She nodded again, pulling harder. Keith laughed, waiving to Hunk as he was pulled through the room and upstairs. ****  
** **

Narti darted in by herself at the last second, and by the time Keith had entered their room, she had already pulled the book from where she had been hiding it. “Alright, here we go,” he grunted as he lifted her and tossed her onto the bed. He kicked off his boots before plopping down as well, causing her to bounce in his wake. She slowly handed him the book and he flipped to a random page. Narti stared at the pages from where she sat, so Keith angled the book her way, and began to read aloud to her. As the pages turned, Narti tucked herself closer to Keith, his words evening out into a slow cadence. ****  
** **

When Lance returned the house was quiet. He could barely hear muffled voices from the kitchen, likely Coran and Hunk, but no other sounds. He was tired, having spent most of the day with his shadows, tucked away as he carefully followed Slade’s instructions. His gun was tucked carefully at his back, hidden from sight by his coat.  ****  
** **

He glanced in the dining room and quickly ducked back out before Shiro could spot him. He wasn’t exactly up for conversation, especially more of the stitled awkward kind that he’d been having with the man unless it was about their situation. Really, Lance was just tired.  ****  
** **

He wanted to find Narti and wrap his arms around her, feel her warmth and see her smile. He wanted to let Keith curl around him, hear the slightly rough timber of his voice, to see the open affection that he had every time he looked at Lance.  ****  
** **

What he found was almost better. In their room, Nari was curled next to Keith, one hand tangled in his shirt, an one of his arms wrapped around her. Her book was open and laying on Keith’s chest. For a long minute, Lance just stared at the sight, noting all the little details. A smudge of dirt on Narti’s cheek, and that one bit of hair that always fell in Keith’s face when he slept. As quietly as he could, Lance crossed the room and carefully brushed that bit of hair away, a soft smile on his face.  ****  
** **

Keith stirred a bit, attempting to turn over and fall back asleep, but the heavy weight on his arm kept him in place. He blinked and grimaced at the light near his head. Draping an arm over his eyes, he groaned. ****  
** **

“Hey there, handsome. Have a nice sleep?” Lance kept his voice low, but couldn’t stop the smile.  ****  
** **

Keith slowly pulled his arm away, his brain beginning to wake up. He looked up at Lance like he was trying to piece together a puzzle. “Hmm? Lance?” He rubbed an eye and glanced at Narti. “W’time’s’it?” ****  
** **

Lance tilted his head a bit, hand moving to brush over Narti’s hair. “Not late enough that Shiro has been kicked out of the dining room, but late enough that his time is numbered.” His smile grew a bit, and he settled on the edge of the bed. “How was she, today?” ****  
** **

Keith yawned, letting his eyes stay closed for a moment or two before laying his head where he could see Lance comfortably. “Perfect. Model child. Don’t let Coran tell you otherwise.” ****  
** **

One eyebrow raised up, into an unmistakable expression of disbelief. “I see... I’ll keep that in mind. But as much as I would love to lay down and sleep with you two, my boyfriend is a nagger. Always complaining I don’t eat enough, and well,” Lance shrugged. “I love him so I should probably eat something first.”  ****  
** **

Keith cheeks warmed, but a small smile found its way onto his face. “Probably a good idea, I hear that guy is kind of an asshole when he doesn’t get what he wants.” ****  
** **

Humming agreeably, Lance turned his attention to waking Narti up. “That may be true, but he’s no match for my Shroud’s pout. If I can resist that, I think I’ll be alright. Besides,” Lance eyed Keith. “I’ve seen both sides and I’m still gonna stay so you can’t lure me away with your good looks.” ****  
** **

Keith laughed as he pushed himself up, shaking out his newly freed arm. “What a shame, and here I was ready to pledge myself to you. I guess I’ll just have to go back to  _ my  _ boyfriend, thankfully I’ve tricked him into loving me as much as I love him.” He winked at Lance, standing up and cracking his back. ****  
** **

Lance’s reply was muffled by Narti’s hair as she finally woke up and immediately attached herself to him. “That’s probably also a good idea. I’ve heard he’s an underhanded little shit and has ways of keeping you still.” Lance grinned over Narti’s head and stood, scooping up Kova with ease. “Let’s go eat, loverboy and we can discuss our significant others later.” ****  
** **

Keith beamed as he followed Lance down the hall. The house wasn’t bustling as it usually was during the day, but it was still alive with the others moving from room to room and chatting amicably in low tones. The haziness of sleep still clung to Keith and his brain was struggling to accept that it was still evening and not early in the morning. As his foot left the last step, the lingering smell of dinner hit him and his stomach made itself loudly known. Keith latched a hand over his belly and made a beeline to the kitchen, Lance now following him. ****  
** **

Lance hid his smile in Narti’s hair, absently smoothing out some of the tangles from her day with practiced ease. Her arms were wrapped around his shoulders but not tightly, not like she did when nervous or shy so whatever mischief she and Keith had gotten into couldn’t be too bad.  ****  
** **

As they passed through the dining area, Keith barely took notice of Shiro hunched over maps and scribbled over notes, merely grunting in his general direction. Shiro only lifted his eyes eyes enough to register that Keith had passed through, sharing a similar grunt of acknowledgement. His eyes slid over Lance before refocusing on the plans in front of him. ****  
** **

The dismissal hurt, even if Lance told himself that it  _ shouldn’t _ . He knew Shiro didn’t exactly approve, he  _ knew  _ that, even if he wished he could change it. Not necessarily for his sake, he was used it, and in addition, Shiro didn’t let it stop him from treating Narti like a princess. No, Lance wanted to fix it for  _ Keith _ . Because Shiro’s approval meant  _ everything  _ to him.  ****  
** **

Still, he chewed on his lip and smiled at Hunk’s greeting, before picking a chair next to Coran and away from where Shiro usually sat. No sense in making him uncomfortable on purpose. “So… how was Narti today?” ****  
** **

Hunk grinned and immediately started in with how their hide and seek game had gone.  ****  
** **

Keith heaped a pile of food onto his plate, not entirely sure what half of it was. He plopped into the chair next to where Lance was standing, pulling him closer by his pants leg as he jabbed his fork into some sort of mashed vegetable. Once Lance was just a bit closer, he worked Narti’s arms free, only possible since she’d fallen back asleep. He propped her in his lap and nudged her awake, handing her a piece of bread and a fork, and began to eat in silence. ****  
** **

Unable to keep his smile to himself, Lance let it spread slightly over his face as he took his own chair and kept his attention on Hunk but his eyes on the two people currently doing their best to turn his insides into liquid. He made interested sounds when Pidge started in their own narration of how Narti was  _ the  _ best assistant, and even smiled at the resulting squabble that Hunk started over the title.  ****  
** **

As Keith and Narti cleaned their plate, Keith leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily. “Is it time for bed yet?” ****  
** **

“Didn’t you just wake up from a nap?” Pidge immediately teased. “Is it so tiring to run around and play all day?” ****  
** **

“Yes,” he deadpanned. “Besides, you know Hunk’s food always makes me sleepy. It’s how you know it’s good.” He smiled lopsided letting his eyes close for a moment. ****  
** **

Lance eyed Narti’s drooping head and Keith’s own sleepy eyes. “You know…” He started deceptively soft. “If you both fall asleep here and you get gravy in her hair,  _ you  _ will be in charge of the bath to remove it.” Narti despised baths and Lance  _ almost  _ wanted to see Keith try to wrangle her into one. “Come on, apparently you both need to go to bed.” ****  
** **

Pidge rolled her eyes, while Hunk smiled indulgently, and offered a hand to help Keith up.  ****  
** **

“Fine, fine, go sleep like children. But, I want to see that gun first thing tomorrow, Lance.” ****  
** **

“Sure, Pidge. Whatever you say.”  ****  
** **

They passed back through the dining area, Shiro now joined by Coran and speaking quietly. Keith didn’t even slow down on his way to the stairs, passing through unnoticed. Lance hesitated for a moment. “Goodnight,” he called out. Coran smiled and waved, but Shiro didn’t turn, continuing to explain something quickly to Coran. ****  
** **

He hurried to pass Keith in the hall, under the excuse of holding the door for him, but really it was because he was fairly sure he needed a minute to keep the bit of hurt off his face. Still, he mustered a smile at Narti’s sleepy grab, and turned toward his own pack, pretending to sort some things. Narti would fall asleep easily, and Lance hated talking about anything sad or upsetting in front of her. She was much smarter than most people thought.  ****  
** **

Keith gently laid Narti on her side of the bed and tucked her in before heaving a sigh and collapsing on his side. He hadn’t kicked off his shoes or changed out of his clothes, but sleep beckoned. He slung his arm over his eyes to block out the lamplight and listened to the soft sounds of Lance moving around the room and sorting through things. “I don’t know how people do it. Kids are tiring.” ****  
** **

He chuckled. “Practice is really all I can say. I mean, you are doing a great job, really. She barely even clung to me when I got back.” Lance kept his voice light. “Um… Keith? Before you sleep.. Can I.. ask you something?” ****  
** **

“Always,” Keith answered sleepily. He peeked out at Lance, finally realizing the emotions etched into his features. “What’s wrong? Are you alright?” ****  
** **

“I’m fine. A little tired from spending all day with Slade, but I’m really fine. I’m just… a little worried.” Lance made the mistake of looking directly into Keith’s concerned face and promptly caved. “Alright, I’m a lot worried about something, and only sort of worried about something else.” ****  
** **

Keith sat up, pushing himself away from the bed and stepping into Lance’s space. He gently brushed his fingertips up and down Lance’s arms. “It’s going to be alright,” he soothed quietly, no shred of doubt in his mind. When it came to Lance, to Narti, to his team, whatever it took he would make sure it would be alright. “Tell me what’s wrong so we can figure it out.” ****  
** **

Lance looked up again and immediately decided to handle the lesser of his two worries first. Mostly because that one would be much easier than announcing to Keith that his brother hated them together. “I.. want to ask you something. I haven’t before because.. Honestly I’m not that great at explaining myself and I didn’t want to make you mad or anything when I eventually got my words wrong and messed it all up. But.. Keith. Will you.. Do me a favor?” Lance tone dropped, growing somber. “Before I ask, I want you to know I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Not just because of.. Where we are going tomorrow, but since you all invited me to join your team. So… I’m not trying to make you mad, but.. If…” Lance silently called himself a coward and barrelled ahead with barely a breath between words. “Will you look after Narti if something happens to me?” ****  
** **

Keith’s hands dropped to his sides, a sick shock running through every fiber of his being. It wasn’t that he didn’t hope to be a part of Narti’s life for as long as he lived, but discussing Lance’s  _ arrangements _ felt too final, to close to acceptance, and Keith felt dangerously close to losing his diner. The tiny tremors he felt start in his spine slowly turned into a distraught shake of his head. “Nothing is going to happen to you,” he said matter of factly, his words sounding stronger than he felt. ****  
** **

“That… isn’t exactly my point.” Lance sighed, and took a deep breath, turning to face Keith directly. “It isn’t about what may or may not happen. It’s the fact that I will know. I’ll know, Keith, that Narti is in the best hands I could ever find. So that when I get worried, or am in a tight spot, which will happen, because it’s happened already, I won’t panic. Because I’ll know. Do you… understand?” ****  
** **

Keith’s jaw clenched as he open and closed his mouth multiple times, various emotions flitting across his face in rapid succession. Part of him wanted to argue his point, to make sure that Lance knew Keith wasn’t going to let  _ anything  _ happen to him. More than every he wanted to throw Lance and Narti over his shoulders and run. He understood where Lance was coming from though, as much as it pained him to admit. It was part of the job for him and his team to have written contracts to see to their final wishes, but Lance was too big to condense to a few lines on a sheet of paper, too much of a hole to be left in Keith’s and Narti’s lives to ever be able to fill for each other. Keith wondered if they hadn’t shown up, if Lance hadn’t been asked to accompany them if any of this would have happened, if he would have stayed hidden. Keith didn’t feel like he could get enough air into his lungs, but he nodded knowing that he’d always be there for Narti, no matter what, and that was essentially what Lance was asking, and pushed any darker thoughts down and away. ****  
** **

Lance’s shoulder’s dropped at the nod, and his smile was a little more sincere this time. “Thank you.” He pressed a light kiss to Keith’s cheek then took a small step back. “Now… now I think I can tell you about my bigger concern.”  ****  
** **

“How could anything be bigger than that,” Keith mumbled almost inaudibly as he tried to brace for what Lance said next. ****  
** **

His eyes drifted over Narti, then back to Keith. “I… Did you know… that Shiro isn’t...doesn’t...approve of… us?” ****  
** **

Keith blinked at Lance. As the words sunk in, his brow began to pull into a furrow, until he busted out laughing. He covered his mouth quickly, containing himself as he checked over his shoulder to make sure he hadn’t woken Narti. “W-what,” he wheezed. ****  
** **

Laughter was not something Lance had been prepared for and he scowled. It wasn’t exactly funny, but he bit his lip hard and turned to glare at the wall. “It isn’t funny.” He crossed his arms, and his shoulders raised up. Lance was sure he looked like a child. “Nevermind, forget it.”  ****  
** **

“W-wait, no-” Keith’s laughter petered out, but a confused smile still lingered. He laced his fingers into Lance’s and pulled him closer. “I”m sorry, it’s just, you’re- he doesn’t-” Keith bit back another round of laughs. “Why would you think Shiro doesn’t approve?” ****  
** **

Lance shook his head. “No, forget it.” He didn’t exactly want to spell it all out, that would only make them both feel bad and Lance was honestly trying to not cause a problem. “It’s fine. Sorry.” ****  
** **

Keith sobered quickly. He let go of one of Lance’s hands so he could cup the side of his face, his thumb gently tracing along his cheek bone. “Hey, no, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. It’s just that Shiro thinks you’re great, the whole team does.” ****  
** **

“It’s fine. If he isn’t telling you about it then it isn’t a problem.” Lance stated flatly. “He’s still nice to Narti so I don’t care much how he deals with me.” ****  
** **

Keith scowled. “Lance, he literally told me this morning he thinks we’re good for each other.” ****  
** **

He blinked. “He did?” Lance spent a full minute thinking that over before something dawned on him. “Oh… well alright then. Like I said as long as he isn’t shunning you too, and he’s kind to Narti I don’t mind. I mean… he could have just told me I made him angry or something. Maybe he thinks it’s just temporary?” He was trying to puzzle it all out, and habit had him talking out loud. “That would make sense why it’s just me…” ****  
** **

Keith could feel the agitation bubbling up under his skin, but he attempted to remain calm. “What are you talking about?” ****  
** **

“You mean… you didn’t notice?” Lance silently cursed any god he could think of before he carefully explained. “Keith, Shiro hasn’t said a word to me that wasn’t directly related to the job since I tried to talk to him after he walked in. Given that he actively claimed Coran was calling him just to get away from me, that was kind of an obvious sign he didn’t approve.” Confused, Lance tilted his head as he continued. “I thought it was just something he needed to think about, but even today the only thing he told me all day was that he didn’t like me being gone on my own. I… didn’t want to come between you and your family…” ****  
** **

Realization washed over Keith and he sighed, too exhausted from this whirlwind of a conversation to find it in him to laugh. “No, Lance, he’s mission focused right now. Pidge says he ‘hyper focuses’, I’m not even sure he knows his own name right now… and,” Keith did let a small smile sneak onto his face. “As strong and brave as that idiot is, he is the most awkward and easily flustered person I’ve ever met. He practically ran out of the room when I told him we were sleeping together. He doesn’t hate you, he’s just easily embarrassed and is horrified hearing the sordid details of the kid he practically raised and sees as a brother’s sex life.” ****  
** **

Lance stared at Keith, mouth slightly open. “Oh…” Lance could see now after Keith’s explanation how it all made sense, but… He ducked his head a bit, then peered at Keith. “Then… do you think he’ll be mad when Allura corners him later? I um… may have suggested to her that she… just…” He coughed. “Pin him to the wall and tell him what she wants?” ****  
** **

Keith practically collapsed in a fit of giggles barely kept quiet. He gripped onto Lance to keep himself upright as the image of Shiro frozen in place, face as red as could be as Allura walled him in ran through his head. Once he had caught his breath a bit, he managed to wheeze out, “I think once he recovers from it, he will thank you.” ****  
** **

In Lance’s defense, that exact tactic had worked extremely well on Keith, and Lance was not nearly as pretty as Allura was. Well, objectively. He was also never going to state that out loud because he had a feeling Keith would kill him with compliments if he did. “It was just.. She said she wanted to… and…” Lance scowled again. “You know what, no. I’m not doing this again. I’m not getting all confused over people  _ again  _ today.” Lance wished he could go back to how it had been when he’d first gotten back. Light teasing and fond looks, no worries or confusion clouding his mind. “I…” He paused just briefly this time, “I want to lay down on this bed, watch you curl around my sister, and just… hold  _ you  _ this time.” ****  
** **

Keith’s cheeks flared. He had been chewing his bottom lip, but a fond smile slowly pulled it free. “I’d like that,” he murmured, backing up to the bed. “She’s not going to be very happy when she wakes up to my face instead of yours though.” ****  
** **

Lance smiled. “Probably not, but I didn’t think she would be so willing to share in the mornings either and she has yet to kick you in the face like she did to Slav once.” He couldn’t help but chuckle at how betrayed the little man had looked. “I think… she can handle it this time. So… can I.. please?” ****  
** **

Keith nodded ducking his head to hide his burning cheeks. Something about the simple and innocent request still managed to pull at his heart and he was embarrassed by how it made his heart bounce in his chest. He changed out of his clothes quickly and climbed into bed, holding the blankets up behind him. ****  
** **

Lance could move pretty quickly when he was properly motivated, and he had his coat and boots off and settled himself against Keith’s back in record time. He wasn’t exactly unfamiliar with curling around someone when he slept, even if he had done it a lot more recently, but it was a lot different than holding Narti. Keith was warm, where Narti always ran a little cold, but that protective feeling was the same. Lance almost preferred it this way, with the two people he loved curled up safe in his arms. Given how easily Keith had agreed, Lance let that thought slip out. “I like this…” ****  
** **

Keith hummed, pressing back into Lance and settling into a comfortable spot. “Me too,” he said through a yawn. “Feels good… safe.” The moment his head had hit the pillow the previous exhaustion came crashing back in. He ran the tips of his fingers in lazy patterns along the arm holding him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time, no see
> 
> <3 Holly

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: NOW WITH AMAZING ART PIECES BY ISSY/SOMEONETHEELUSIVEFANGIRL([Chapter 8](https://someonetheelusivefangirl.tumblr.com/post/170848383283/keiths-guide-to-confusing-an-unfortunates) and [Chapter Six](https://someonetheelusivefangirl.tumblr.com/post/170889592813/collector-of-hats-someonetheelusivefangirl)) AND JAS/ONESMOLHURT ([Lance and Slade](http://onesmolhurt.tumblr.com/post/172761658929/commission-for-joinmeinthishell-and-their-shared)) AND JILLI-BEAN ([My handsome stabby child](http://jilli-bean.tumblr.com/post/174348781915/this-is-a-sketch-commissioned-by-the-lovely)) AND GREEN-CAT ([Narti and Kova](http://greencat-art.tumblr.com/post/175938460776/doodled-narti-for-collector-of-hats-and))
> 
> WE HAVE A COSPLAY!!!! OH IT"S AMAZING!!! LOOK AT THE [Cosplay](https://www.instagram.com/p/BlQ4VqEh9qY/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=lpsajtrqiajv) AND THE [Second Cosplay](https://www.instagram.com/p/BlQpiJUB6W6/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=ur5eijlj58wr)
> 
> Back at it again with the team up! Lindsay and I are currently at 65k with this bad boy and still aren’t done so buckle up kids it’s gonna be a long ride lol
> 
> Your kudos and comments are what keep us going, but if you want to chat and whatnot on tumblr, Linds is [collector-of-hats](https://collector-of-hats.tumblr.com/) while mine is [joinmeinthishell](https://joinmeinthishell.tumblr.com/) or my not voltron blog is Hoddiemaine, come hangout ｡^‿^｡


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